ARTHUR
Mr. Charles!
Arthur holds up a MECHANISM CASE. Cobb shows it to Fischer.
COBB
You know what this is?
Fischer’s eyes roam over the dials and plungers.
FISCHER
I think so. But I don’t understand.
COBB
They were going to put you under.
FISCHER
I’m already under.
COBB
Under again.
FISCHER
A dream within a dream?
ARTHUR
Shhhh!
Arthur is at the door. Someone is there. A key goes into the lock- the door starts to open— Arthur REACHES OVER and GRABS the person entering, THROWS THEM TO THE FLOOR — puts his gun in their face. IT IS BROWNING.
Fischer stares, disbelieving, at his own godfather.
FISCHER
Uncle Peter. What’s going on?
Cobb pulls the key from Browning’s hand: ROOM 528.
COBB
You said you were kidnapped together?
FISCHER
Not exactly, they already had him. They’d been torturing him…
COBB
You saw them torture him?
Fischer shakes his head. Looks at Browning. Thinking.
FISCHER
The kidnappers are working for you.
BROWNING
No, Robert—
FISCHER
You’re trying to get that safe open. To get the alternate will.
Browning looks up at Fischer.
BROWNING
Fischer Morrow’s been my entire life. I can’t let you destroy it.
FISCHER
I’m not going to throw away my inheritance. Why would I?
BROWNING
I couldn’t take the chance of you rising to your father’s final taunt.
FISCHER
What taunt?
BROWNING
That will. I’m sorry, Robert, but it’s his final insult. A challenge to build something for yourself. He’s telling you that you aren’t worthy of his achievements.
Fischer takes this in. Devastated.
FISCHER
That he was “disappointed?”
BROWNING
I’m so sorry. But he was wrong. You’ll make his company even greater than he ever could.
COBB
Your godfather’s lying, Robert.
Fischer turns to Cobb.
FISCHER
How do you know?
COBB
It’s what I do. He’s hiding something.
Cobb looks at Browning.
COBB
Let’s find out what.
Cobb nods at Arthur, who starts unpacking the mechanism.
Browning watches. Silent.
COBB
Let’s do to him what he was going to do to you.
Cobb rolls up his sleeve. Nods at Fischer to do the same.
COBB
We’ll penetrate his subconscious and find out what he doesn’t want you to know.
Fischer looks Cobb in the eye. Decides — rolls up his sleeve, offering his bare arm. The team run tubes to each other — Arthur injects Fischer, whose head slumps.
ARTHUR
He’s out.
ARIADNE
Wait, Cobb — I’m lost. Whose subconscious are we going into?
COBB
Fischer’s. I told him it was Browning’s so he’d come with us as part of our team.
ARTHUR
(impressed)
He’s going to help us break into his own subconscious.
COBB
That’s the idea. He’ll think that his security is Browning’s and fight them to learn the truth about his father.
Arthur hits buttons on the mechanism. The team goes out one by one. Cobb is last.
COBB
Fischer’s subconscious is going to run you down hard.
ARTHUR
I’ll lead them on a merry chase.
COBB
Be back in time for the kick.
ARTHUR
I’m on it.
Cobb is no longer listening — he stares at the net curtains, BILLOWING like those in Mal’s suite — a GLIMPSE of someone (Mal?). As the screen goes WHITE, and we are—
EXT. SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINS — DAY
CLOSE ON Cobb’s face, staring. Fixed.
ARIADNE (O.S.)
Cobb? Cobb?
Ariadne is beside him. They stand on a cliff, dressed in white snowsuits, carrying white-painted weapons like WWII commandos. Cobb checks his SNIPER RIFLE, examines their objective: a massive FORTIFIED MEDICAL FACILITY a mile below.
ARIADNE
What’s down there?
COBB
Hopefully, the truth we want Fischer to learn.
ARIADNE
I meant what’s down there for you?
Cobb turns to her. Eames, Saito and Fischer arrive, SKIING down from the hill above. Cobb pulls Eames out of Fischer’s earshot.
COBB
You’re the dreamer. I need you to draw the security away from the complex.
EAMES
Then who guides Fischer in? You?
COBB
If I know the route… we could be compromised.
Eames looks as Cobb, uneasy. Ariadne comes over.
ARIADNE
I designed the place.
COBB
No. You’re with me.
SAITO (O.S.)
I could do it.
They turn to Saito. Saito shrugs at Eames. Eames smiles.
COBB
Eames, brief Saito on the route into the complex. What we’re looking for is going to be in the most heavily fortified section. That north tower.
Cobb moves to Fischer. Saito COUGHS. SPITS. Eames sees BLOOD on the snow. Looks at Saito.
COBB
Mr. Fischer, you’re going in with Mr. Saito.
FISCHER
You’re not coming in?
COBB
You have to do this on your own. You have to get in there, break into your godfather’s mind and find out the truth about your father.
Cobb taps Fischer’s radio mike.
COBB
Keep this live at all times. I’ll be listening in, covering you.
(holds up the sniper rifle)
The windows on the upper floors are big enough that I can cover you from that south tower.
Cobb slips into his skis, shoulders his rifle.
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM 528 — NIGHT
Arthur checks the mechanism. He hears LOW BOOMS like thunder.
He checks his watch — THE SECOND HAND CRAWLS FORWARDS. With a last look at the sleepers, he heads out into the corridor…
INT./EXT. VAN ON RAINY DOWNTOWN STREETS — DAY
A GUNSHOT slams into the van as Yusuf DRIVES — he glances back to see a MOTORCYCLE pulling up behind him, the REAR PASSENGER FIRING A SHOTGUN — the bike pulls alongside Yusuf’s window as the passenger RELOADS — Yusuf YANKS the wheel TOWARDS the bike, bringing the shotgun barrel into the cab so he can GRAB it, spin the wheel back — PULLING the passenger from the back of the bike… Yusuf turns a corner, heading into a disused MARKET—