Inception- The New York Trip

Part 1

"How are we gonna secure this job?" Arthur asked as he reached for his case and duffel bag in the trunk of the cab.

"I'm sure we'll think of something" Cobb responded glancing up at the tall building that stood in front of them. Arthur paid the cab driver and the two of them headed inside the building and walked towards the reception desk. The interior was even more impressive than the exterior. There were over fifty workers wandering around the ground floor, all were suited in formal attire. The men with waistcoats and ties and the women with jackets and knee high skirts. Cobb rested his arm on the reception desk and said "We have an appointment at nine"

"Your name Sir?" The receptionist asked staring at him. She was young, an apprentice by the looks of it, her hair was brown, wavy and her eyes were an ocean blue. Like the rest of her colleagues she was dressed mainly in monochromatic colours.

"Dom Cobb" Cobb said smiling. The receptionist glanced down the screen, before replying.

"The room is 104, first floor. Here is your leaflet" she passed him a small, folded piece of paper "Welcome to Cobol Engineering Mr. Cobb"

"Thank you" Cobb took the leaflet from her hand and just before he walked away he took a piece of paper too. Once they stared walking away he immediately passed the leaflet to Arthur who tucked it in the inside pocket of his jacket.

"This place is incredible" Arthur complemented

"What do you expect from a multi billion dollar company?"

"Hmm, yeah" He paused "You contacted Miles at all?"

"Yeah. He's busy at the university. Things have panned out well by the looks of things"

"What about James and Philippa?"

"Last Sunday"

"Were they okay?"

"They were fine" Cobb's brusque reply indicated that he didn't want to talk any further on the subject. They were halfway up the stairs when someone called out their names

"Cobb! Arthur!" They both spun around simultaneously

"Nash. Good to see you" Arthur held out his hand and Nash shook it vigorously.

"Thought you weren't gone make it" Cobb said with a smile

"Well you know, the trains here aren't what they used to be." He paused while he swept his hand through his hair "Hey Arthur, you had any word from Eames?" Arthur's heart stopped for a moment. He quickly answered

"No, why? I though he was in Mombasa." The reason to which Arthur lied wasn't clear, not even to him at first. Arthur knew where Eames was, he knew he went for the job they were all about to take on and to be truthful that was the reason he'd suggested this particular job to Cobb in the first place. They had calls over the phone to each other often and they text one another even more regularly. Arthur acknowledged that they had developed a strong relationship over the years that had been somewhat spontaneously consummated a few months back at the end of their last job together in Tokyo. He readjusted his tie with his free hand, displayed a neutral countenance and decided to go along with it.

Shaking his head Nash took a breath and said "Nah. I got a call a few days ago from him. He's in Manhattan, and was planning to take on this job. I asked him if he wanted to come along."

"Why? We don't need Eames on this job" Cobb stated.

Arthur frowned a little disheartened "Cobb, we can't do this without a forger."

"Arthurs right, he's the best at what he does. Just a shame he can't spell" Nash said jokingly. Arthur smiled and lowered his head, adjusting his duffel bag "Oh. And while we're at it we'll need a chemist too"