Inception - Mind over matter

Planning in Paris

"So we'll build three levels," said Dom, drawing on the white board in blue marker under the words 'I WILL BREAK UP MY FATHER'S EMPIRE.'

"How do we go that deep?" Arthur clicked his pen and swung on the back legs of his chair, "The dream will be too unstable and collapse."

Yusuf raised his index finger, "Sedation," he stated. He was a very round man, with a face like a beach ball and black curly hair. Tiffany used to think he was a doctor. "It'll help maintain the dream state."

"How will we wake up?" Ariadne's brow knitted together and her eyes shone. Tiffany wondered where Dom found her. She must be some architect, since she didn't seem to know anything at all about anything else.

"A kick," said Dom.

"What's a kick?"

"This-" Eames hooked his foot under the hovering front legs of Arthur's chair and tilted it further back, "-is a kick."

Arthur almost toppled backwards. He wobbled for a moment, then managed to right his chair. He stared daggers at Eames.

"It's that feeling of falling that normally wakes you up," Eames smiled sweetly back.

"Would we even feel that with this much sedation?"

Tiffany rolled her eyes.

"I have customized the sedative," said Yusuf with a smug smile, "It allows the inner ear to function normally, and so you will still feel falling or tipping."

"I'll have to experiment with the concoction a little further," warned Yusuf, "I'll need to determine the most effective kick."

Dom nodded, "Very well. Eames, what can you tell us about Mr. Fischer?"

Eames stood up, "He is a reserved man; he doesn't speak much. His relationship with his father is rocky to say the least, even as the man lays on his death bed."

"Ok, that's a good start, we can use that," Dom gestured for Eames to go on.

"But this man-" Eames stuck a photo of a fat business man with long droopy cheeks to the whiteboard, "-he talks to the most. His name is Browning, Uncle Pete, to our man. He's selfish and rude, very bossy," Eames shook his head, "Horrible man, really."

"Maybe we could use him," said Arthur, "And use that as an emotional trigger, to make Mr. Fischer decide to break up his company,"

"Yes," said Eames, "As a screw-you to the old man."

"No," Dom pressed his palm against his forehead, "I think positive emotion trumps negative emotion every time."

Tiffany rubbed her lucky silver coin between her finger and thumb, a habit she had picked up from Eames, and watched the others.

"Ok, how about this: 'I will create something for myself, not follow in my father's footsteps'."

Dom snapped his fingers, "That's good. I like it."

"We can use Browning," Eames continued, "Like Arthur said,"

"And destroy the one relationship he has?" snapped Ariadne.

"More like, expose Browning for the snake he is while repairing his relationship with his father,"

Tiffany saw Eames' lips twitch, she could practically see the cogs turning in his mind. She waited to see if he had generated an idea similar to her own.

"The first level, I'll impersonate Browning, he could become suspicious, then, the next level down, his own projection of Browning should pick up where I left off-"

"So he gives himself the idea!" cried Arthur, "That's brilliant."

"Ah well, thank you Arthur. As always your input is much appreciated."

Tiffany hid her smirk in the soft fabric of her white scarf.

Ariadne raised her hand, "What about the third level?"

All heads turned to Eames. He looked straight at Tiffany, his grey eyes twinkling.

"The dramatic climax," she said, swinging her legs, "Robert will confront his father, he will realise that his father never wanted him to become a shadow of himself, and he will have this strong idea that he must leave his father's company behind."

They sat quietly for a short while. Yusuf piped up, "How are we going to get to him?"

"What do you mean?" asked Arthur.

"Well, we're going to need a decent chunk of time to carry out three levels worth of work."

"Isn't he due knee surgery?"

"No, that was last month."

"The longest flight in the world." It was the first time Saito had spoken all afternoon.

"What about it?"

"Sydney to Los Angeles, he makes the flight every two weeks."

"Surely he has a private jet?" Tiffany pointed out.

"Unexpected maintenance."

"The plane we use will have to be a Boeing 747," said Arthur.

"Why is that?"

"No one will have any reason to walk through the first class cabin."

"The flight crew will need buying out, as well as the entire cabin," said Dom.

"I can do that," said Saito coolly.

"Ok then, we'll get to work."