Once Sophia had calmed her nerves with a small glass of wine, she decided to wash away her sour attitude before dinner. She set up her music and sighed as the sounds of Camera Obscura's "Tears for Affairs" echoed throughout the room. As the warm water pelted her skin, she could feel her anger wash away down into the drain. Finally relaxing, her mind focused on another aspect of Eames that had clearly been pushed aside earlier. He was an extremely handsome man, with his hulking shoulders and obvious pectoral muscles. She recounted his facial features, in awe of their beauty for the first time that her mind would allow it. His eyes a stunning shade of blue/green. His lips full and tender. His nose with a perfect slope and size. His debonaire attitude only intensified her sudden craving for him. Sophia was shoved out of her fantasy bubble by a sudden knock at her door.
Sophia quickly turned off the shower and snatched up her short, red silk robe from off of her bed. After trying the sash into a bow, she stood on her tip-toes to peer through the peep hole. Who she saw on the other side of the door was someone that she certainly couldn't have anticipated. She unlocked the door and greeted Ariadne, who stood there uneasily after noticing Sophia's attire.
"S-sorry Sophia, I didn't realize that you were in the shower. I should have called first. I-i was just wondering if you'd like to get ready together for dinner? Maybe we could get to know each other a little better?" She spoke with a hopeful yet embarrassed voice. Sophia took note of the bag in her hand and instantly invited her inside.
"Oh, uh, sure!" Sophia said warmly, trying to ease Ariadne's embarrassment. "Come on in! Make yourself at home, I'll only be a second." And with that, Sophia entered the bathroom to apply some moisturizer to her face and some lotion to her freshly showered skin. Finishing up her post-shower ritual, she heard Ariadne clear her throat, as if she was nervous to even speak.
"So Sophia, how long have you been in this business?" Ariadne asked while taking some dresses out of her bag and laying them out on the bed, imagining herself in each one. She had never really cared for fancy dresses, but she couldn't resist making a impression tonight for Arthur. Her cheeks grew red at the thought of him and she silently cursed her light complexion for betraying her. She noticed Sophia exit the bathroom and begin to search through her belongings for a suitable dress, a look of despair vaguely splayed upon her face.
"For a few years now. My father was a wealthy businessman, both loved and hated. I was initially trained as a guardian for his secrets. When he passed away, I realized that my knowledge of how to protect his mind could also help those trying to invade someone else's. Thus, I was "reborn" as ... a thief ." Sophia sighed slightly after her truthful answer. Her french accent heightened her emphasis on "thief," which caught Ariadne off guard.
"Do you regret your decision? You sound as though you wish you hadn't become an extractor." Ariadne felt a little overbearing, asking Sophia such a personal question after only meeting each other earlier in the day. They had barely spoken more than a few words to each other, why should she reveal such private information? Ariadne caught on to Sophia's silence and figured that she wasn't comfortable enough with her yet to answer.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't think before I asked. My curiosity got the best of me-"
"No, no. I am just looking for the right explanation," Sophia paused for a moment to ponder her next answer. "You see, I was an only child. My mother died when I was very young and my father was all that I had really known. As his success and wealth grew, so did the bounty on his thoughts. What would be his next move? Where did he come up with these ideas? So, as an undeniably devoted daughter, I became his guardian. After a few months, my father became very ill. The doctors could not figure out what was eating away at him at such an alarming rate. His eminent death loomed over me like a dark cloud. During those somber months, I realized that I could not care for anyone else enough to put my devotion in their hands. So I decided to change my course and become what you see before you."
Ariadne noticed a slight smile creep onto Sophia's lips and became aware of just how powerful the woman standing before her was. She did not shed a tear for her late father, instead she smiled at the memories they had shared. Taking in Sophia's well-hidden lament, Ariadne started, "Thank you for sharing that with me. I know how difficult it is to lose someone that you care about. My parents were both very involved in my life at one point. But ... that's another story for another time." Glancing at a nearby clock, she continued, "C'mon, let's get ready before the guys start to panic." Ariadne smirked and grabbed Sophia's hand.
After about an hour of picking out dresses, applying their makeup strategically, and putting the finishing touches on their ensembles, they were finally ready. The clock on Sophia's oak nightstand blinked "7:15PM" as she pulled a simple black clutch from her bag and filled it with her essentials; her cellphone, her cigarettes, a lighter, and some loose cash. The ladies knew that they were already late so Ariadne didn't hesitate to take a few more moments to linger in Sophia's room, pacing back and forth to show her anxiety. "Ariadne, you look truly wonderful, dear. Don't let your nerves get the best of you just yet," Sophia's french accent rolled off her tongue, followed by a cheekily smile. She had caught on to Ariadne's "crush" on Arthur but said no more about it as she linked her arm through Ariadne's and they left the room.
As they descended the grand staircase, they first felt the eyes on Arthur upon them. His gaze was white hot as he swallowed hard, taking in Ariadne's presence coming closer and closer.
She was dressed in a tight red dress, coming up slightly above her knee and exposing most of her bare back. She looked very elegant with her hair pulled to the side, exposing simple pearl earrings gracing her earlobes. Her makeup was flawless; simple with slight blush and mascara. Arthur took careful note of how beautiful she looked, memorizing her every movement as she stepped down from the stairs.
In the hotel bar, Eames was in the middle of entertaining his friends with his usual witty banter when he noticed that Arthur had fallen silent. He leaned over in his chair to see what distracted Arthur so suddenly. He caught a glimpse of the women advancing and a breath got caught in his throat. Indeed Ariadne looked nice, but his eyes were instantly glued to Sophia.
She wore her long, dark hair down and slightly wavy, which he had presumed to be natural. Her short, tight black dress gave way to her long, shapely legs. Moving his gaze upward, he gawked at the plunged neckline of her dress and how the straps exposed her beautiful shoulders. Her blue eyes were drawn out by her use of dark mascara and cateyes; She exemplified confidence and grace.
Snapping him out of his trance, Cobb stood up and walked over to the women with a grin plastered on his face. He took both of their hands and kissed them lightly before signaling Arthur and Eames towards the door.
Once they were all seated in the dimly lit restaurant, a soft french ballad dancing into their ears, Arthur leaned towards Ariadne to shower her with compliments. They both became so engrossed in each other's presence that it caused Eames to fidget in his seat, becoming slightly sick by their outward sexual tension.
"I'm gonna go get some drinks," Eames coughed and stood up from his seat.
"I'll accompany you, Mr. Eames. I need to stretch my legs a little anyway." With that, Sophia carefully stood up and walked in his direction. His heart leapt out of his chest, watching her hips glide effortlessly towards him in a slinky yet relaxed manner. As her eyes met his, he stuck out his arm for her to grab onto. "Here we go!" he exclaimed, slightly exasperated by the touch of her smooth skin against his forearm. He winked at Cobb, receiving a stifled laugh, and together they walked over to the bar.
"I'll have two rum and cokes, please. And ..." he paused, looking at Sophia expectantly. "A rum and coke sounds refreshing. I'll have one as well please," she smiled at the bartender. Her voice was as soft as velvet, her accent sending chills down his spine and forcing a smile to emerge onto his lips.
Eames rolled up the sleeves of his blue checked button down shirt and stood with an elbow on the bar. Sophia couldn't help but take in his scent at that moment, crisp and masculine. He looked so handsome with his golden skin shining under the lights. Realizing that she had been staring, Sophia quickly began, "So Mr. Eames, are you excited to see your friends again?"
"You can drop the mister, alright darling? I'm not above you, no need for such propriety. And yes, I am glad to see them again," he said with a crooked smile, characteristically provoking a witty response and turning to face the bartender.
She looked back at him, internally wondering if their personalities would clash after a few misplaced jabs. She just smiled at his profile and continued, "Well EAMES, I'm excited to work with you all as well. Cobb seems to have a great team assembled. What is it that you do, again?" She knew that she had struck a nerve with that comment, but continued to smile at him as his eyes met hers.
"I'm the thief. Much like you are," he said, knowing exactly what she was doing. He wouldn't lose his cool in front of her, that would give her too much satisfaction. As stunning as she was, he saw a lot of his own qualities in her personality. At first he was unsure if they could work well together, both being so sound in their quips, but in that moment he had a change of heart. He looked up at her, eyes slightly squinted at the light, and let out a small chuckle. Sophia was taken aback by his response, as his native smirk crawled onto his face. They both just smiled at each other, neither one quite knowing how to continue the conversation.
As they neared their table, drinks in hand, Eames noticed a man sitting at another table. He appeared to be a slight man, wearing an expensive sharp gray suit and with an odd expression on his face. It was then that he realized that the man's eyes were locked onto Sophia. Making a mental note of the man's presence, he handed Cobb his drink and sat down.
Cobb began his speech about the job.
"It's a little tricky. It will be in-and-out as quickly as possible, which is more dangerous than it seems. This man runs a ballistics academy in Berlin. We have a window of two hours in present time. He is well-guarded by his henchmen, but we have our ways of moving around that. That's where Ariadne comes in. I need you to create a life-like dreamscape, much to the likeness of his workshop. I know that we are never to create based on memories, but we have no other choice. I have all of the blueprints back at the hotel. Arthur, I need you to research everything that you can about this man. There can be no missing pieces, otherwise we'll be smoked out by his guards instantly. I have all his vitals and public information for you as well. Eames, you will be our go-to guy. Once we've successfully infiltrated his obstacles, you will crack the safe and retrieve the information-" Cobb stopped to ease the look of disbelief on Sophia's face.
"Sophia. You, my dear, have the most important job of all. You are going to mastermind the entire operation. You and Eames will not leave each other's side. We need you to synchronize the theft. You know better than anyone which obstacles we will encounter, having created them for your father in the past. You'll know what to watch for and how to evade them. You are essential. Questions, anyone?"
Cobb awaited a groan from Eames, knowing that he preferred to work alone, but was pleased when he didn't hear one. "All right, we'll reconvene in three days to compile our information. Everyone, please do not take your tasks lightly." And with that, Cobb grabbed his coat and headed back to the hotel.
After a half hour or so, Arthur and Ariadne took their leave.
"Are you sure you won't come with us? We could all get drinks back at the hotel ..." Ariadne spoke with sincerity in her voice.
"No, no. I'm going to finish up my drink and move along after that. We'll be fine, don't worry dear," Sophia insisted.
"All right, let's go, my lady," Arthur spoke, wrapping his arm around Ariadne as they disappeared through the restaurant door.
After a couple of minutes, Sophia sucked down the last of her rum and coke. Neither of them spoke much, just some small talk which was all they could muster after several rounds of drinks. Eames paid the tab and they headed out the door. The hotel was only about a mile away from the restaurant so they saw no need to hail a cab. After a couple of blocks, Sophia felt a set of eyes burning upon her and was slightly uneasy at the realization that Eames was looking in the opposite direction.