INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR — CONTINUOUS
Arthur walks towards the elevator. It OPENS — a SECURITY MAN emerges, heading right for him. Arthur takes a TURN, speeding up. The BOOMS are louder, and we—
CUT TO:
INT./EXT. VAN ON RAINY DOWNTOWN STREETS — DAY
The bike crosses behind the van, catching up again as the driver pulls a handgun and starts BLASTING. Up ahead, an S.U.V. sits in a side road, lining up to head off the van—the SECURITY MAN driving the S.U.V. guns it, as the bike creeps up on the other side of the van- Yusuf HITS THE BRAKES, forcing the bike out into the path of the S.U.V., tossing the rider like a rag doll—
Heading out of the market, the van races onto a FREEWAY ON RAMP, approaching the BRIDGE. An S.U.V. SMASHES into the van’s side, FORCING it up against a CRASH BARRIER… the van starts to SLOWLY TILT OVER THE BARRIER as the S.U.V. PUSHES—
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR — NIGHT
As Arthur hurries down the corridor, the corridor starts to TILT, and Arthur is forced to run UP ONTO THE WALL — he rounds a corner — STRAIGHT INTO another Security Man— Arthur HEAD BUTTS him and they STRUGGLE — as they struggle, the corridor SPINS around, THROWING THEM UP ONTO THE WALLS, THE CEILING — as wall becomes floor they DROP through a door into—
INT. HOTEL ROOM — CONTINUOUS
The fight continues all over the spinning room — and we—
CUT TO:
INT./EXT. VAN ON RAINY OFF RAMP NEAR BRIDGE — DAY
SLEEPING ARTHUR BOUNCES around as the van TILTS, SCRAPING along the barrier — the van CLEARS THE END OF THE BARRIER AND ROLLS DOWN THE EMBANKMENT, and we—
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM — NIGHT
Arthur and the Security Man DROP to the floor, Arthur on top. Arthur gets up — heads to the stairwell.
INT./EXT. VAN ON RAINY STREETS NEAR BRIDGE — DAY
The van SETTLES with a thump. Yusuf BREATHES hard. Then SMILES as he realizes he is in one piece. A RINGING BELL up ahead makes him look up to the bridge, where the barriers are starting to come down. Yusuf checks his watch—
YUSUF
Bugger.
Yusuf hits the gas, heading for the bridge. An S.U.V. lines up behind him, trying to catch up before the van crosses the barrier onto the bridge-The van JUST MAKES IT- the S.U.V. behind RIPS its read axle off, SCRAPING to a halt on the rising section. The Security Man inside starts FIRING on the van…
INT. HOTEL STAIRWELL — CONTINUOUS
Arthur RACES down the steps — OPENS the door to the fourth floor — spots SECURITY MEN outside room 491.
ARTHUR
Hey!
They TURN — he DARTS back into the stairwell — RACES down the stairs — the Security Men follow — they start SHOOTING, and we—
CUT TO:
EXT. SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINS — DAY
Eames SKIS down within sight of the hospital complex. He reaches into his pack and lets off a FLARE.
EXT. HOSPITAL COMPLEX — CONTINUOUS
Security Men on the ramparts spot the flare and send PATROLS out on skis and SNOWMOBILES to investigate.
EXT. SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINS — CONTINUOUS
Eames watches them close in, then launches himself down the mountain, STREAKING across the icy slope, and we—
CUT TO:
INT./EXT. VAN ON RAINY RISING BRIDGE — DAY
Yusuf PULLS FORWARD, looking over his shoulder to line up a BACKWARDS RUN at the edge. He DUCKS as vicious FIRE from the S.U.V. HAMMERS the vehicle. He looks at his watch. The SECOND HAND TICKING SLOWLY…
YUSUF
Sod it. I hope your ready.
He grabs an MP3 player and reaches into the back to place HEADPHONES on sleeping Arthur’s head. As he does so, he notices Saito’s bandage BLEEDING THROUGH. Yusuf hits PLAY — Edith Piaf’s “Non, je ne regrette rien” starts up and we—
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL STAIRWELL — NIGHT
Arthur STOPS, hearing something — MASSIVE LOW-END MUSICAL TONES — he looks up PANICKED —
ARTHUR
No, Yusuf. Too soon!
SHOTS slam into the stairs around him and we—
CUT TO:
EXT. SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINS — DAY
Cobb and Ariadne make their way down towards the complex.
EAMES (OVER RADIO)
Cobb? Are you hearing that?
Cobb listens. The wind sounds unusually LOW.
EXT. FOREST, SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINS — CONTINUOUS
Eames is hidden at the base of some trees, whispering as a patrol passes beneath his position.
EAMES
I noticed it twenty minutes ago — at first I thought it was just wind…
EXT. SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINS — CONTINUOUS
Cobb is listening intently. The “wind” changes pitch.
COBB
No, it’s music. Dammit.
EAMES (OVER RADIO)
What do we do?
COBB
We move fast. Saito, did you copy?
EXT. MOUNTAINS, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COMPLEX — CONTINUOUS
Saito and Fischer CLIMB down a CLIFF FACE above the complex—
SAITO
We’re going as fast as we can.
EXT. SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINS — CONTINUOUS
Ariadne looks at Cobb, concerned.
ARIADNE
How long do we have?
COBB
Yusuf’s about ten seconds from the jump, which gives Arthur about three minutes, which gives us about—
ARIADNE
Sixty minutes.
COBB
The route you gave them, can they do it in under an hour?
ARIADNE
I don’t think so. They’ve still got to climb down to the middle terrace.
COBB
They need a new route — a direct route.
ARIADNE
The building’s designed as a labyrinth.
COBB
There must be access routes that cut through the maze.
(into radio)
Eames?
EXT. FOREST, SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINS — CONTINUOUS
Eames cannot answer- he SLALOMS through the forest, Sub-security in hot pursuit, bullets smashing into the trunks…
EXT. SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINS — CONTINUOUS
Cobb turns to Ariadne.
COBB
Did Eames add any features?
ARIADNE
Yes.
COBB
What did he add?
Ariadne looks at Cobb.
ARIADNE
I shouldn’t tell you. If Mal—
COBB
There’s no time — what did he add?
ARIADNE
Utility closets, trap doors…
COBB
What about service features? Did he add any large pipes or—
ARIADNE
Ducts. He added an air duct system — it doesn’t follow the maze. They can use it to go straight from the outer walls to the upper tower.
COBB
Explain it to them.
ARIADNE
(into radio)
Saito?
EXT. CLIFF FACE BEHIND COMPLEX — CONTINUOUS
Saito is using a hammer to tap in a belay.
SAITO
Go ahead.
And we—
CUT TO:
INT./EXT. VAN ON RAINY RAISED BRIDGE — DAY
Yusuf looks at the Security Man in the S.U.V., gives him the finger and hits the GAS — RACING BACKWARDS at the barrier… and we—