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Ariadne had arranged a peaceful, quiet life she for herself after the Fischer job. And then he showed up. All smiles and charm that sent her head in a frenzy. It seemed like every time he was in town, he would visit her and she would be conveniently available. She knew the kind of work he was still involved in and the risks that came with it. But she didn't think that he would be under surveillance or that anyone would notice his infrequent visits to Paris.

But someone had found out about her. Someone had been in her apartment and was looking for something other than money. They even went to the trouble of leaving her a note. A friendly enough note to try and inspire her to come out of retirement. That sickeningly sweet kind of note that felt like it was laced with cobra venom. They wanted an Architect.

She called the only person she could think of.

"Hey..."

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Nodding, she went to her bag and pulled out the letter before handing it over to him. Looking at it, she could tell it was a European phone number, but that could just be a number that would redirect to another phone. She shook her head at herself as she thought through the possibilities, concluding that she read too many intrigue novels.

Arthur took out his work phone, one with an untraceable number, and dialed the number on the paper. He waited to see if Harris would pick up.

The phone rang three times before the tone changed, sound of the phone transferring their call automatically. The phone repeated this several more times before the receiver picked up. "Hello Arthur. Please put her on the line." The voice was thick and smoky but otherwise unaccented.

"Not going to happen," Arthur said without pause. "I've given you a warning and yet you persist. I'm not sure you understood how business is conducted within Dreamshare."

"I'm not entirely concerned with how it is conducted currently. I need her now." Haris sounded like a man that didn't have much patience for games or having his proposals dismissed. "I promise it will be worth her while."

"What do you want to hire her for? A dreamshare job? She's not currently looking," Arthur said.

"She might not be looking but she'll take this job. It's the opportunity for her to do what she does best. What she misses so desperately. What you seem reluctant to let her do." He sighed as his patience reaching its end. "Put her on the phone and let her make the decision. Though I'm certain she'll accept."

Ariadne listened at Arthur's side, her arms wrapped around herself. 'His voice sounds familiar.' She watched as his face went from his suave smile to cold and businesslike.

"Her staying out of the business was her own decision, not mine or anyone else's, so I'm very certain as to what her answer will be in regards to your offer," Arthur said.

"Arthur, the only reason she didn't decide to continue is because you didn't have anything to entice her away from that comfortable life. Where as I, do."

"Alright, tell me this offer of yours and I will relay it to her," he said. "If you're so sure she'll take it."

"Cute. No. You will put her on the phone or I will make sure you never work again. And I will still get her help."

Arthur rolled his eyes at the "never work again" part. As if Harris had the authority. "I don't have time for your whining. Tell me the offer or I'll be forced to take action."

Haris chuckled on the other side of the phone. "Ask her about her father."

Arthur didn't want to take the bait, but he covered his hand over his phone and looked at her. "What's he talking about?"

"I have no idea. He and my mother died when I was ten. My grandfather said it was a car crash." She gripped her elbows until her knuckles turned white.

He had read that in the file he made about her for the Fischer job so why was Harris bringing it up if her father was dead. "Tell me more. Quick."

"He's alive. And currently residing in Shanghai. He stole something from me and I want it back." Ariadne could hear him chuckling. "I thought it would a nice little family reunion."

Arthur clenched his jaw. "So what's your plan then? To get back whatever he stole."

"That is a conversation for her and myself pretty boy. Hand the phone over."

Arthur wasn't happy as he handed the phone back but not before putting it on speaker.

Edited Date: 2014-09-06 03:18 am (UTC)

"Hello Ari. I'm so thrilled you finally decided to call. I can't wait to meet you."

"I can't say the feeling is mutual." She set the phone down on the table and sat in Arthur's lap, pulling his arms around her.

"Well I suppose we can't have everything the way we want." He cleared his throat. She could almost feel him building up his own ego. "To the point of me contacting you then; I want you to design several dream layers to aid my team in extracting the information from your father." He said very matter of factly.

"No." She pressed down on the end call button.

He wrapped his arms around her loosely, listening. When she ended the call abruptly, he raised a brow. "Ariadne..."

She was shaking, furious that anyone would use the memory of her parents like that. "No. I don't believe it." She stood abruptly and stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.