You built all this?
COBB
We both did.
ARIADNE
It’s incredible.
COBB
We built for years. Then, when that got stale, we started in on the memories.
A child’s SHOUT echoes through the deserted canyons, prompting Cobb to look down a side street: a LITTLE BLONDE BOY crouched, his back to us. A LITTLE BLONDE GIRL joins the boy, and, as Cobb turns down the street, they run off.
Cobb and Ariadne emerge into a peculiar SQUARE lined with an eclectic mix of buildings, from APARTMENT BLOCKS to HOUSES.
COBB
This is our neighborhood.
ARIADNE
(confused)
From what city?
COBB
No. Our neighborhood.
(pointing)
That was our first apartment… then we moved to that building… we got that small house when Mal became pregnant.
ARIADNE
You reconstructed them all from memory?
COBB
We had time.
Cobb pauses in front of a French country house. Staring.
ARIADNE
What’s that?
COBB
The house Mal grew up in.
ARIADNE
Will she be in there?
COBB
No. Come on—
Cobb leads Ariadne to the entrance of a glass skyscraper.
INT. SKYSCRAPER LOBBY (LIMBO) — CONTINUOUS
Cobb leads Ariadne across the gleaming lobby to the
elevators.
COBB
We both wanted a house, but we both
loved skyscrapers. In the real
world we had to choose. Not here.
INT. SKYSCRAPER ELEVATOR (LIMBO) — CONTINUOUS
Cobb pulls out his handgun, and a ziplock bag full of bullets.
ARIADNE
How do we send Fischer back?
COBB
We need some kind of kick.
ARIADNE
What?
COBB
I’ll improvise.
Cobb COCKS his weapon, and the ELEVATOR STOPS. The doors open. Ariadne moves to exit, Cobb stops her.
COBB
There’s something you have to understand about me. About inception. You see, an idea is like a virus…
Cobb leads her out of the lift…
INT. PENTHOUSE (LIMBO) — CONTINUOUS
Cobb and Ariadne step off the lift and into the incongruous interior of a craftsman house. They cautiously move down the corridor towards the back of the house…
COBB
Resilient…
(turns to Ariadne)
Highly contagious, and an idea can grow. The smallest seed of an idea can grow to define or destroy your world…
Cobb is staring into the kitchen. Mal is sitting at the table, back to them, staring out at the porch — the TOWERS of Limbo stretching off behind it.
MAL
The smallest idea, such as… “Your world is not real.”
Cobb hands Ariadne his gun and moves towards Mal.
MAL
A simple little thought that changes everything…
Ariadne watches as Cobb sits down beside Mal. And we—
CUT TO:
INT. ELEVATOR SHAFT — NIGHT
Arthur FLIES back down the shaft to the top of the elevator, SQUEEZES past the car to the bottom and starts to set the MAIN CHARGES ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR, and we—
CUT TO:
INT. PENTHOUSE (LIMBO) — DAY
Cobb touches Mal’s arm — she TURNS, angry. It is only now that we see that she holds a CARVING KNIFE. Mal looks at Ariadne.
MAL
So certain of your world. Of what’s real. Do you think he is—
(points at Cobb)
Or do you think he’s as lost as I was?
COBB
I know what’s real.
MAL
What are the distinguishing characteristics of a dream? Mutable laws of physics? Tell that to the quantum physicists. Reappearance of the dead? What about heaven and hell? Persecution of the dreamer, the creator, the messiah? They crucified Christ, didn’t they?
COBB
I know what’s real.
MAL
No creeping doubts? Not feeling persecuted, Dom? Chased around the globe by anonymous corporations and police forces? The way the projections persecute the dreamer?
Mal puts her hand on his face. Pitying.
MAL
Admit it, Dom. You don’t believe in one reality anymore. So choose. Choose your reality like I did. Choose to be here. Choose me.
COBB
(rising anger)
I have chosen, Mal. Our children. I have to get back to them. Because you left them. You left us.
MAL
You’re wrong, Dom. You’re confused… our children are here—
A child’s SHOUT draws Cobb — James CROUCHES on the porch, back to us. Philippa joins him, also turned away. Cobb watches, moved. Mal leans in close.
MAL
(whispers)
And you’d like to see their faces again, wouldn’t you, Dom?
COBB
Our real children are waiting for me up above.
And we—
CUT TO:
INT. ELEVATOR — NIGHT
Arthur scrambles to arrange the sleepers on the floor of the car — as his hand comes away from Saito, he sees BLOOD on it. He looks at Saito’s belly — the blood is coming through his shirt. Arthur sticks headphones on sleeping Eames, and we—
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL FORTRESS — DAY
Eames throws a GRENADE, blowing up the security forces trying to ascend the terraces. He DUCKS to the ground to avoid HEAVY FIRE — starts unpacking the charges and setting them along the base of the terraces—
INT. DUCT SYSTEM, HOSPITAL COMPLEX — CONTINUOUS
Saito looks up as he hears a Security Guard climbing through the duct… he raises his gun, TREMBLING with weakness… And we—
CUT TO:
INT. KITCHEN, PENTHOUSE (LIMBO) — DAY
Mal laughs at Cobb.
MAL
(laughs)
Up above? Listen to yourself. You judged me for believing the very same thing.
Mal points at the children—
MAL
These are our children. Watch.
(turns to the kids)
Hey, James! Philippa?!
The children START TO TURN to us — BUT COBB CLOSES HIS EYES.
COBB
They’re not real, Mal. Our real children are waiting for us—
The children run off. Cobb opens his eyes.
MAL
You keep telling yourself that but you don’t believe it—
COBB
I know it—
MAL
And what if you’re wrong? What if I’m what’s real?
Cobb is silent.
MAL
You keep telling yourself what you know… but what do you believe? What do you feel?
Cobb looks at Mal. Struggling.
COBB
Guilt. I feel guilt. And however confused I might get.
(MORE)
COBB (CONT’D)
However lost I might seem… it’s always there. Telling me something. Reminding me of the truth.