* And here's yet another chapter of Paradox. READ AND REVIEW!
In a little less than a week they had it all planned out. They were in Mr. Destrey's house, he was asleep and Yusuf had just slid a syringe into his arm filled with a sedative that would ensure he sleep as long as they needed.
According to Arthur's research, Destrey's subconscious was trained to repel extractors. This slightly complicated the situation, but they were prepared for this type of thing. After all, this was their job, they faced such conflicts often. (More often then Arthur would've liked as a matter of fact...)
"Alright. Now we have ten hours, twenty in the dream to do this." Cobb explained for the umpteenth time, "And we have no room for mistakes. We've got three levels planned out. Okay? Yusuf will stay in level one again-"
"As always." Yusuf said with a smile.
"Eames will stay in level two." Cobb continued and then adressing Lance and Arthur, "And you two and myself will go on to level three. As we've already discussed, I'll convince Destrey to come with us into level two, and from there we'll get to three, which'll be the bank level, and from there, we'll perform the extraction. Then, Yusuf'll play the music, Eames'll give us the kick, and before we know it we'll be back here with a mission accomplished."
The team all murmured in agreement and took their places relaxing around the room and hooking themselves up to the machine. Yusuf flicked up the clasps of his little plastic box and withdrew his hand to reveal a large bottle of another sedative.
"Take a bit all of you, to make sure you don't wake up too soon."
They nodded taking a sip and passing it to the next person.
Eames was the first. He took a sip and passed out on the floor the next second.
"How strong is this?" Arthur asked curiously.
"Not too strong, it'll get you to sleep quick enough but you can wake up from it if you need to." Yusuf said shrugging.
Arthur returned the shrug and sipped. His eyes rolled and his head hit the floor.
When he opened his eyes again he was in small but busy little town. Arthur scanned the streets for Destrey and upon spying him he called,
"Found him, Cobb. He's going into that building."
"Oh thanks, Arthur. That building is really desciptive and we know exactly the one you're talking about!" Eames replied sarcastically.
"Well the- the red one! You see it- Oh shut up, Eames."
But just as they all went to cross the road, a staircase rose from the ground, slowly and steadily building itself into a spiral up to the top floor of the building Destrey had just disappeared into.
"Cobb? What the hell is this?" Yusuf asked, indicating the staircase that had risen from the concrete.
"Wasn't me." Cobb said defensively.
"Nor I." Eames added.
"Not me." Lance said.
They all turned and looked at Arthur who gave them a look that said he had no idea what had happened.
"What the hell, Arthur? The subconscious is gonna get suspicious if you keep building!" Eames cried.
"I didn't mean to, it just happened! I don't know..." Arthur snapped, keeping his voice level.
Eames eyed him knowingly, he was the only person who had seen what had happened with the staircase while they were running that test a few days ago. And Arthur had a feeling he might not keep the secret.
"Well... whatever, let's just go."
Cobb, Eames, Lance, and Yusuf all filed slowly into the building. But a small voice in Arthur's head told him to do otherwise.
Take the staircase, Arthur.
Arthur shook his head and groped in his pocket for his totem. He extracted a small red die, and rolled it in his hand.
It was weightless and blank. No numbers. He breathed again. He was in a dream, everything was okay.
He walked slowly and cautiously towards the stairs, and walked up them. Never-ending, of course. He continued nervously, hoping that his sense of the end would return to him. It didn't. He stepped foward and fell foward, the air rushing past his face he grabbed wildly at anything, finally catching himself painfully on the rail.
He looked down and saw he was only four feet or so from the ground and let go. His feet hit the ground hard and he bit back a cry of pain and went into the building after Cobb and the others.
Arthur looked around the room carefully, looking for any sign of the team. And there he saw a beautiful yet oddly familar woman walking towards him.
"Hey sweetie, wanna go upstairs?" She whispered with a wink.
"Er- No thank you, mam." Arthur studdered.
"Oh, that's disappointing, darling."
Arthur glared as he saw the woman turn back into Eames and he thumped him in the back of his head and walked away muttering,
"Not funny..."
"C'mon, Cobb and Lance are already in level two, we've gotta go."
Arthur followed Eames down to a boiler room in which Yusuf had set a time bomb, that would go off when they needed the last kick.
"Go, go, Cobb and Lance are waiting for you!" Yusuf said pulling out two more cords from the machine.
Arthur and Eames both hooked themselves up and closed their eyes...