for isnt_the_same

[chesstotem]

The only thing more cathartic than drawing, in Ariadne's experience, was shooting at things. And after the week she'd had, she needed to shoot some things.

She'd gone into this assignment, bright-eyed and ready to bring down the bad guys. They'd assembled her identity, using her own background in design to get her an in with their cooperative witness, Miles.

But Ariadne hadn't counted on enjoying the dream sharing as much as she had - not after three years of being repulsed by the very idea of it. Nor had she counted on liking the team - Cobb, charismatic but broken; Eames, oozing charm from every pore; Yusuf, a bit absent-minded but genuinely kind; Arthur, always in control but barely concealing something wild and dark.

And now she'd just found out her job wasn't done. Her assignment was going to continue - Cobb and the others, they'd realized, weren't the kingpins they had originally thought. Ariadne was a little relieved, but now they were expecting her to keep her cover, try to get as much information from them as she could. For how long, she didn't know.

The thought made her nervous. So she did the only thing that could help relieve some of her tension - she went to the shooting range. She was intent on the paper target in front of her, putting bullet holes right in the center of the chest.

Comments

[chesstotem]

"I try never to be late," she pointed out with a smile as he led her inside. "Especially when I've had an offer as nice as yours."

[isnt_the_same]

He turned his head a little to smile at her as he led her over to the sitting area. He gestured with his hand for her to sit down on the couch while he sat on the couch opposite her. Rummaging through the files, he picked one up and handed it to her. "The CEO of a computer software company wants to know if his CFO is laundering money," he stated. "The job would take about two weeks tops, including planning and execution."

[chesstotem]

She frowned a little, knowing that couldn't possibly be the whole story - money laundering could be tough to track down, but eventually, the financial records would lead to it, if it was there. Still, she wasn't sure if that was something Ariadne should know. She was smart, but she didn't have CIA training, she kept reminding herself.

"Sounds pretty easy. A lot easier than the last job," she said after a moment's pause.

[isnt_the_same]

He huffed out a laugh. "Anything's easier than the last job."

Arthur continued with the information on the file he just handed her. "In addition to the money laundering, the CEO wants information on more...personal matters." Taking the file back from her, he opened it and took out a list of expenses. "The CFO has been spending time pursuing illegal activities and the client wants to know what exactly they are and how they pertain to the money laundering. His computer's clean and so is his day planner."

[chesstotem]

"You may have a point there," she said with a smile, then opened the file and began flipping through it.

"I see. And, most importantly, who he's working for?"

[isnt_the_same]

“The CFO? He’s working for the executive chairman: the client—the CEO,” he explained.

[chesstotem]

"Sure, legally. But who's directing his illegal activities? Somehow I don't think it's very likely that he just up and decided to start laundering money for himself one day. From what I understand, money laundering is usually part of something bigger, right?"

[isnt_the_same]

“Of course, well, here’s the hard part of the job. There’s a man who runs an underground crime ring in the same city as the company’s headquarters. As far as I can tell, for some reason, he has the CFO wrapped around his finger so what he says, goes.”

[chesstotem]

"So we're being asked to expose the CFO's illegal activities, in a way that won't turn the blame onto the CEO, and at the same time uncover his connection to this criminal underground, and what their purpose is in using him. So maybe not quite so easy," she joked.

[isnt_the_same]

He shrugged, grinning. "Can you really compare any extraction job to an inception job? Inception is nearly impossible."

[chesstotem]

"I guess not," she said, perching on the sofa to take a closer look at the file. "So, this'll be just the two of us, then? I guess most extractions don't require that many people, either..."

[isnt_the_same]

"Yeah, just the two of us. The Mark's mind isn't militarized so we've got that going for us," he said. "This'll pretty much be an in an out job."

[chesstotem]

"Once we figure out what we're actually looking for," she pointed out with a smile.

"I'll have to figure out what sort of dream will work best for it, too..."

[isnt_the_same]

"That, too," he added.

"We'll figure it out," he said.

[chesstotem]

"We make a good team," she pointed out honestly. "So, what can you tell me about his habits so far?"

[isnt_the_same]

"He's a recluse. He orders take-out and doesn't cook. The only places he goes is work, his house, and an out of the way coffee shop."

[chesstotem]

"Can you get me access to blueprints and schematics for those places? I know Dom says never to build actual places but it might be a good starting point." She thought for a moment. "What about his bank?"

[isnt_the_same]

"Sure." He made a note of it in his notebook.

"He does all his banking electronically, but it's all encrypted. I'm still trying to get through it."

[chesstotem]

"That rules out dreaming up a bank for him, then," she said with a little smile. "So, is this what you mean by 'partners'?"

[isnt_the_same]

"What exactly am I implying with the term partners?" He asked.

[chesstotem]

"I think that's for you to tell me," she said with a laugh. "Do you mean, keep working together for the time being? Or do you mean sign a ten year contract to only work with you?"

[isnt_the_same]

"I was hoping you'd want to be my architect exclusively," he said with a grin.

[chesstotem]

She laughed a little, ducking her head again. "That's nice of you to say. Fortunately, I wasn't planning to seek anyone else out. So you've got your wish."

[isnt_the_same]

"Good. Then I get started on getting you some new identities." He'd need to call up Eames for that.

[chesstotem]

"New identities?" she asked, playing stupid. "Oh. Huh."