DISCLAIMER: Christopher Nolan owns Inception.

"Let me deal with this," Cobb whispered as we sat down. Reid looked at us for a moment.

"When I hired to for this job, I knew you were doing an illegal activity. I knew that and we trusted you to perform this job. Now I have a feeling there's something you're not telling me," he said, his voice sounding condescending.

"Agent Reid-" Cobb placed his hands on the table. "Our job requires us to work for some powerful people. We've done many things, corporate espionage, international work, even government work. In fact, I guarantee most of the things you've seen on the news is a product of dream sharing. "

"How do you know this Nash?" Reid snapped. "He's part of an elaborate bombing scheme, and you seem to know him very well. You could be a new suspect in this case if you don't explain this."

"We worked with him once," Cobb replied calmly. "He betrayed us and he was taken away, presumably killed. We haven't heard from him since today. That's all we know."

Reid paused. "I'm started to reconsider my offer of letting you walk out of here."

I felt a little tense. This was not going well. We might be arrested by the end of the week.

"Look, this obviously isn't working," he continued. "We need that information."

Cobb stared at him. "There is another way we can do this."

I snapped my head towards him. "No."

Cobb didn't look at me. "Arthur-"

"Cobb, that's a huge risk. It's not happening."

Reid looked at me. "What's not happening?"

Cobb sighed. "We can extract the information from him…our way. It will be dangerous, but effective. You would be almost guaranteed a result."

I felt my anger return. Was I invisible?

"Cobb, you can't be serious?"

He looked at me, almost angrily. As if he was repulsed by my input.

"What is it you're describing exactly?" Reid asked, slowly.

Cobb narrowed his eyes. "Extraction. We go into Nash's mind and create a world that he is familiar with. We can get the information we need in there."

Reid nodded. "I understand. What are the risks?"

"The dreamscape will be unstable. Nash is a little…well, crazy I suppose is the appropriate word. He knows us, so we'll have to be careful about being seen. Depending on how many layers the dream would be-"

"We could drop into Limbo if we use the same sedative," I snapped. "Either that or we'll be tortured. Eames and Ariadne won't want to do it-"

"Yes they will," Cobb said, standing up. "They're loyal to me. Much more than you're being at the moment."

Ouch. I felt like wincing at that accusation. I'd always been loyal to Cobb, even on the hardest jobs, but this was too much.

Cobb tore his eyes away from me and looked at Reid.

"Do we have your support?" he asked, holding out his hand. Reid looked at it for a moment.

"Yes." He shook his hand. "How long will you need to prepare?"

This was insane. Nash was too…unstable. I had no intention of going into his mind when he was working for us, let alone now. I felt my head spinning with things to say as

"A week."

"Two," I added. Reid stared at me.

"Fine. But you must work here. I can't trust you not to run off."

"Cobb. We can't do this."

Cobb walked past me into his hotel room as if I hadn't said a word. I looked at him and shook my head.

"Cobb. Are you listening? This is too dangerous, we're not doing it."

He turned and glared at me. "I know it's dangerous, Arthur. But you can't say what we do and don't do. You're not the Extractor, you're just a Point Man. I think you proved that in the interview today."

I stood in silence. Cobb rarely talked like that to me.

He sighed and placed his hand down on the table. "Jesus, Arthur. You're loyal as hell but sometimes you just need to step back and look at the big picture. Thousands of people are going to die if we don't do this."

"Look, I'm just saying-"

"I know what you're saying!" he snapped. "You don't trust Reid, I get that. You don't want to go into Nash's mind because you're scared. Scared of what's buried down there, but does it ever occur that I ever get scared? Or Eames, or Ariadne?"

I looked at my feet. "I'm not scared. I can't be scared, because I have to be the Point Man. Silent, does the job and follows you into the battle field. I slip up, and the whole thing crumbles in front of me. I do something right, and it goes by without thank you."

"Arthur, I am so grateful that you are my Point Man. You're the best, no doubt. If I haven't shown that, and you want to leave, then fine. But go now so I can have time to find a new one."

That hurt. I would never leave Cobb when he needed me, and I thought he knew that.

"Cobb, I'm not going to leave. I'll do this job if you want me to, and I'll do it to the best of my ability. Just don't say that I didn't tell you so."

I walked out of his room and shut the door behind me. I was still for a moment, wondering what to do. I walked through the hotel hallways, grabbing my cell phone. I dialled in a number I had learnt by heart.

"Hello?"

"Agent Reid? It's Arthur."

"Oh…what can I do for you?"

"Well, firstly, I suppose I should apologise for today. I let my emotions get the better of me."

"I guess it's alright. We would probably end up having to do this anyway."

"I have a favour to ask you." There was a moment of hesitation on the other line.

"Oh?"

"We need a room."

"…Like a hotel room?"

"No. A room at the FBI. Someplace where we can work without being disturbed."

"Oh, I understand. I guess you're very private about your work."

"Yes, we are. Especially with the FBI."

I heard a chuckle on the line. "Fair enough. I'll have it organised by tomorrow."

The line went dead. I placed the phone down and started rubbing my temples. It was becoming too much. This job was going to be one of the most difficult I had ever done. I knew that I wouldn't be able to see Nash without loosing my temper.

There was a knock at the door. I walked over and opened it. I mentally groaned when I saw Eames on the other side.

"Hello," he said, fairly joyfully.

"Can I help you?"

He shrugged and walked into my room without invitation. "Maybe. I want to know what Reid said to you and Cobb after the interview."

I shook my head. "Eames, that's really for Cobb to-"

"Arthur, you don't have to let Cobb explain everything. You're a big boy, you can handle it," he said, a smirk forming at the end.

"Trust me, you don't want to know," I mumbled, gesturing to the door. "You'll find out tomorrow. Goodnight Mr Eames."

He stood there for a moment, before retreating to the door and turning to me. "You sure you don't want me to stay? Nights like this can get very lonely-"

I shut the door in his face.

"Or maybe you'd prefer Ariadne with you?" he yelled from the other side.