Ext. Rooftop, old town, Mombasa - day

 

Saito deposits a FILE in front of Cobb: PHOTOS, DOCUMENTS. As

Cobb runs through them, he passes them to Eames.

 

SAITO

Robert Fischer, 32. Heir to the

Fischer Morrow energy conglomerate.

He's spent his whole life being

groomed as successor-breaking up

his father's empire will take a

radical shift in his thinking.

 

COBB

What's your problem with Fischer?

 

SAITO

That's not your concern.

48.

 

COBB

This isn't the usual corporate

espionage, Mr. Saito. This is

inception. The seed of the idea we

plant will grow in this man's mind.

It'll change him. It might even

come to define him.

 

Saito looks at Cobb.

 

SAITO

My sources suggest you might not

have always been so cautious.

 

COBB

Then you need new sources, Mr.

Saito.

 

Saito considers Cobb. Shrugs.

 

SAITO

Fischer Morrow has the regulators

in their pockets. We're the last

company standing between them and

total energy dominance and we can

no longer compete. Soon they'll

control the energy supply of half

the world. They'll be able to

blackmail governments, dictate

policy. In effect, they become a

new superpower. The world needs

Robert Fischer to change his mind.

 

EAMES

That's where we come in. How's

Robert Fischer's relationship to

his father?

 

SAITO

Rumor is the relationship is

complicated.

 

COBB

We'll need more than rumor, Mr.

Saito.

 

Eames picks up a photo: a distinguished executive (68).

 

EAMES

Can you get me access to him?

Browning. Fischer senior's right-

hand man. Fischer junior's

godfather.

49.

 

SAITO

It should be possible. If you can

get the right references.

 

EAMES

References are something of a

specialty for me, Mr. Saito.

 

EXT. DECREPIT BUILDING, MOMBASA - LATER

 

Eames leads Cobb and Saito down uneven steps to a doorway.

 

INT. STAIRWELL - CONTINUOUS

 

Peeling paint, buzzing flies. They ascend to a dusty,

wire-reinforced glass door which Eames pushes open-

 

INT. PHARMACY - CONTINUOUS

 

Row upon row of wooden shelves holding hundreds of dusty

glass bottles of all shapes and colors. At the far end, a

portly 40-year-old man rises from behind his desk, beckoning.

This is YUSUF.

 

YUSUF

Come, come.

 

Eames shakes Yusuf's hand. Yusuf stops at Cobb.

 

YUSUF

Ah, yes. Mr. Cobb. I've heard so

very much about you.

(indicates chairs)

please.

 

Yusuf chases a CAT off Saito's chair.

 

YUSUF

Bloody cats.

 

Yusuf moves to a shelf and runs his fingers over the glass

bottles. None of them has a label.

 

YUSUF

You work using Somnacin, I think,

Mr. Cobb?

 

COBB

You're well informed, Mr. Yusuf.

 

Yusuf places a bottle on the desk in front of Cobb.

50.

 

COBB

(dubious)

Somnacin?

 

YUSUF

(proudly)

Yusuf's Somnacin.

 

Yusuf pulls the stopper, holds it towards Cobb's nose.

 

COBB

As good as the real thing?

 

Yusuf WHIPS the bottle away from Cobb, offended.

 

YUSUF

Better.

 

Yusuf holds the bottle to the light, marveling.

 

YUSUF

Binds the dreamers tight. Let's

them dream as one. Makes it real.

Of course, if you'd prefer, you

could use Somnacin brand. If you

could explain to the international

control council what you wanted it

for.

 

Yusuf puts the bottle back onto the shelf. Sits.

 

YUSUF

You are seeking a chemist?

(Cobb nods)

To formulate compounds for a job?

 

COBB

And to come into the held with us.

 

YUSUF

I rarely go into the held, Mr.

Cobb.

 

COBB

We need you there to tailor

compounds to our particular

requirements.

 

YUSUF

Which are?

 

COBB

Great depth.

 

YUSUF

A dream within a dream? Two levels?

51.

 

COBB

Three.

 

YUSUF

Not possible. That many dreams

within dreams would be too

unstable.

 

COBB

I've done it before. You just have

to add a sedative.

 

YUSUF

A powerful sedative. How many team

members?

 

COBB

Five.

 

SAITO

Six.

(to Cobb)

The only way to know you've done

the job is if I go in with you.

 

COBB

There's no room for tourists on

these jobs, Mr. Saito.

 

SAITO

This time, it would seem there is.

 

Cobb looks at him, uneasy. Yusuf pulls out another bottle.

 

YUSUF

Of course. I use it every day.

 

Yusuf hands it to Cobb, who considers the white liquid

inside.

 

COBB

For what?

 

Yusuf beckons them further into the pharmacy, to a METAL

DOOR. He STOPS- second thoughts.

 

YUSUF

Perhaps... you will not want to

see.

 

Cobb motions to continue. Yusuf pulls out a large key.

52.