Int. /ext. Van on rainy downtown streets - day

 

Yusuf FIGHTS the wheel as the van CUTS DOWN AN ALLEY, BUMPING

OVER POTHOLES and SMASHING TRASH CANS aside- THREE S.U.V.s IN

FURIOUS PURSUIT. Yusuf looks in the rear view mirror,

FRUSTRATED. He checks his WATCH, then checks the back: the

SLEEPERS SHAKE with the impact and we-

 

CUT TO:

 

INT. HOTEL LOBBY BAR - NIGHT

 

As a TREMOR echoes through the bar Fischer looks at Cobb

trying to place him.

 

FISCHER

Security? You work for the hotel?

 

COBB

No. My specialty is subconscious

security.

 

FISCHER

You're talking about dreams. You're

talking about extraction.

 

COBB

Exactly. My job is to protect

you...

 

Behind Fischer a WAITER puts down a tray- tipping a champagne

glass over- SMASH- Cobb NOTICES. Pauses, looks across the bar-

HIS TWO CHILDREN ARE CROUCHED, BACKS TOWARDS US...

 

Cobb looks around the bar, the patrons start to STARE at

Cobb, suspicious- Cobb shifts back to Fischer-

102.

 

COBB (CONT'D)

My job is to protect you from any

attempt to access your mind through

your dreams.

 

Cobb regains his patter- the patrons lose interest...

 

INT. ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS

 

Eames pulls out Fischer's wallet, moves to hand it to Saito,

then PAUSES, opens it, leafs past the cast to find... The

SNAPSHOT: young Robert holding his HOMEMADE PINWHEEL, his

father blowing on it. The elevator doors open and Eames steps

off. HANDS Saito the wallet.

 

EAMES

Get off at a different floor and

keep moving. Dump the wallet, then

meet me in the lobby. The security

will try to track it down. We need

to buy Cobb a little more time.

 

The doors close. Saito puts the wallet in his pocket. He

COUGHS- a deep, nasty cough.

 

INT. HOTEL LOBBY BAR - CONTINUOUS

 

Cobb looks over Fischer's shoulder to see a SUITED MAN

watching him. Another MAN is walking in from the lobby.

 

COBB

You're not safe here.

 

Cobb steps away from the bar. Fischer does not move.

 

COBB (CONT'D)

Trust me. They're coming for you.

 

Fischer sizes him up, A CLAP OF THUNDER ECHOES, and we-

 

CUT TO:

 

INT./EXT. VAN ON RAINY DOWNTOWN STREETS - DAY

 

GUNSHOTS BLAST out the rear and side windows of the van- a

Security Man is leaning out of the lead S.U.V. With a SHOTGUN-

 

WIND AND RAIN RIP THROUGH THE VAN- in the back, ARTHUR'S

SLEEPING FACE IS WHIPPED BY THE SPRAY, AND WE-

 

CUT TO:

 

INT. HOTEL LOBBY BAR - SUNSET

 

Fischer looks out the windows at sudden, HURRICANE-LIKE RAIN-

103.

 

COBB

Strange weather, huh?

 

A TREMOR runs through the bar- Cobb looks around-

 

COBB (CONT'D)

You feel that?

 

INT. HOTEL LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

 

Ariadne and Arthur watch the GUSTS OF WIND RATTLE the

windows. Arthur sees HOTEL GUESTS staring out at the weather,

PUZZLED. Several of them TURN TO LOOK DIRECTLY AT ARTHUR.

 

ARIADNE

What's happening?

 

ARTHUR

Cobb's drawing Fischer's attention

to the strangeness of the dream.

That's making his subconscious look

for the dreamer. For me.

 

And we-

 

CUT TO:

 

INT./EXT. VAN ON RAINY STREETS - DAY

 

At the end of the alley- Yusuf THROWS the van into a HARD

RIGHT TURN- we move into EXTREME SLOW MOTION... THE SLEEPERS

IN THE BACK ARE DRAWN TO ONE SIDE OF THE VAN BY THE

CENTRIFUGAL FORCE... and we-

 

CUT TO:

 

INT. HOTEL LOBBY BAR - CONTINUOUS

 

The liquid in Fischer's drink RISES UP AGAINST ONE SIDE OF

THE GLASS- Fischer notices, confused.

 

COBB

Very odd-the weather, the

gravity...

 

Fischer looks around the bar- it's as if THE ENTIRE ROOM IS

SET AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE- glasses SLIDING off tables...

 

COBB (CONT'D)

But I can explain all this. You've

actually been trained for this.

(Fischer nods)

Think of the strangeness of the

weather, the shifts in gravity.

None of this is real...

(MORE)

104.

COBB (CONT'D)

(beat)

We're in a dream.

 

Fischer looks at the room around them. Back to Cobb. All

through the bar, patrons turn to look at Cobb IN UNISON.

 

COBB (CONT'D)

The simplest test of what I'm

saying is for you to try and

remember anything about the way you

arrived in this hotel... okay?

 

Fischer stares at Cobb, trying to process this. All around

them, people STARE at Cobb. Several get up as if to approach.

 

COBB (CONT'D)

Breathe. Remember the training.

Accept the fact that we're in a

dream. That's why I'm here

protecting you.

 

As Fischer considers this we-

 

CUT TO: