On a normal basis, Arthur would never find himself reading gossip magazines. But there he was, sitting at his desk at the same warehouse as before, reading People magazine. Inside the issue, Jayne was being interviewed about her new movie Beastly, a modern day darker version of Beauty and the Beast.
He thought it would help him understand her personality more. When Jayne was asked if she thought she was like Belle, she answered, "I don't look at people from the outside or from magazines and immediately judge them. It's wrong. So yes, in a way I think I'm a lot like Belle, not just lookalike wise. When I met [my current boyfriend] Shane, I didn't fall in love with him because of his looks. I got to know him first."
Again, he didn't believe that he even agreed to do this assignment. He loved his job more than anything, but to go inside the mind of a teen idol? All the past Marks were businessmen that most people didn't know they even existed. But this girl had fan bases in every country. Half of the planet knew who Jayne Alvers was.
And the client actually believes that she's involved with the Cajun Illuminati? When Duke told Arthur over the phone the situation, Arthur laughed and said, "Is this a joke?" Was there even a Cajun Illuminati? What would they want with Ms. Alvers in the first place?
To his dismay, Eames was the first to arrive. He was like the Nash of Forgers; Arthur didn't like him.
"So what kind of assignment do we have, darling?" he asked. Arthur showed him a magazine with Jayne Alvers in the front. One second later, his head was on the table crying with laughter. "You'll do anything for work, won't you, you stick-in-the-mud?" Arthur rolled his eyes and hit the magazine against the table.
"I wasn't so sure when I heard either." Arthur argued. "But it was too interesting to pass on."
"What are we extracting anyway?" Eames questioned still chuckling. "Ah, you kill me, Darling."
"The client Mr. Granger thinks that she's involved with the Cajun Illuminati." Said Arthur. "He's familiar with them because his father was in it. He made him confess to it and now Jayne is behaving and showing signs the same way his father did."
"How so?"
"He saw a cut on her abdomen that was exactly the same as the cut the member's have."
"Well there's your proof."
"Not exactly." Arthur told him. "There's obviously more than one possible answer and you're the only Forger that can do the job."
"That's flattering, thank you Darling. So what do I do, impersonate one of her little friends?"
"That could work." Said Arthur. "But it would have to be someone she's been close to for a long time. And I just know how much you love impersonating women."
"You saw me in the lobby didn't you?"
"My subconscious would never look like that." Said Arthur. "I knew it had to be you."
"So you know I saw you kiss a certain young architect then, right?"
"Excuse me?"
"I saw you two." Eames teased.
"It was to distract the projections." Arthur explained. "Nothing more."
"I don't believe you." There was a knock on the door and Arthur went to answer it. "Check your breath first, it might be her!" Outside, Yusuf was standing with an umbrella over his head. The Point Man was curious to know why Yusuf had a cat in his arms. He came in right away.
"Where's the new extractor?"
"Duke will not be here for a while." Said Arthur. "He told me he had some emergency to attend to but he'll be coming in a few days."
"And who's the Mark this time?"
"Jayne Alvers!" Eames shouted from across the room.
"Who?" Yusuf asked confused.
"Jayne Alvers is an American teen idol." Said Arthur. "Her father is Lance Alvers who is said to be legendary and her mom is a fighter."
"You know that 'Give It Up' song?" Eames asked. "She sings that."
"Never heard it." Said Yusuf. He walked over to the desk and picked up the copy of In Style with her on the cover. The chemist was surprised by what he was seeing.
This was an eighteen-year-old girl, not some old rich man. Her mismatched eyes fascinated him. He knew that people airbrushed fashion magazines, but he never saw a human with one brown eye and one blue eye. Jayne's skin was whiter than paper and her long hair was darker than his.
"She looks like a vampire." He commented.
"I love the catfight she has with Miley Cyrus." Said Eames.
"What happened?"
"Jayne said in an interview one time that she refused to collaborate with her because Miley had no talent what-so-ever and called her a slut. I thought Miley would get over it but instead she tries to fight back. Nothing's worked so far."
"Who's Miley Cyrus?" Yusuf asked.
"Forget I said anything." Eames sighed. "Do you really just sit in a lab all day?"
"Of course not."
"Oh yeah, I remember you take bathroom breaks often."
"Oh ha ha bloody ha." Yusuf spat.
"So why do you have a cat with you?" Arthur asked.
"I couldn't leave her alone again. I just had to bring her. She won't be any trouble." Said Yusuf as he stroked the stripped cats head. She jumped out of his arms and hit the ground gracefully, trotting over to Arthur with her tail up. He stood still as the cat brushed herself against him.
"And the cats name is…" Eames asked.
"Bast." Said Yusuf.
"What kind of name is that?"
"Bast is the Egyptian goddess of cats." Yusuf explained. "I hope you don't mind."
"Well she can't give away anything." Said Arthur. "And as long as you keep a litter box in the corner."
"She's actually pretty cute." Eames bent down to pet Bast. When those yellow eyes saw his fingers, her spine curved and she hissed like a dragon. "Is that normal?"
"No." Yusuf chuckled.
"Well look at it this way," Eames told Arthur. "At least someone's attracted to you."
Another gentle knock echoed in the big room. Arthur cleared his throat and went to open it. Eames elbowed Yusuf, his eyebrows high and his grin huge.
So what do you think as of now? Have any predictions or comments?
Disclaimer: I do not own Inception. But I would make Saito buy it for me, but then I might fuck it up.
