Never recreate places from your memory. Always imagine new places.
ARIADNE
You have to draw from what you know—
COBB
(tense)
Use pieces — a streetlamp, phonebooths, a type of brick — not whole areas.
Several people around them ECHO Cobb’s attitude…
ARIADNE
Why not?
COBB
Because building dreams out of your own memories is the surest way to lose your grip on what’s real and what’s a dream.
ARIADNE
Did that happen to you?
Cobb says nothing. He stands there, staring at Ariadne.
PEOPLE around her stop and look at her, hostile.
COBB
Look, this isn’t about me—
Cobb reaches for Ariadne’s arm, turns her to him—
ARIADNE
Is that why you need me to build your dreams?
A passerby GRABS Ariadne’s shoulder—
COBB
Leave her alone—
More of the crowd join in, PULLING at Ariadne, holding her arms open— Cobb PULLS people off — the crowd PUSHES him away — Cobb sees someone WALKING PURPOSEFULLY through the crowd towards the helpless, Ariadne — it is Mal. She approaches with even strides — Ariadne stares at her, uneasy.
ARIADNE
Wake me up, Cobb.
As Mal walks, she pulls out a LARGE KNIFE—
COBB
Mal, no!
ARIADNE
Wake me up!
Ariadne SCREAMS as Mal LUNGES at her with the knife and we—
CUT TO:
INT. WORKSHOP — DAY
Ariadne WAKES, BREATHING HARD. Arthur moves to her—
ARTHUR
It’s okay.
ARIADNE
Why couldn’t I wake?
ARTHUR
The only way to wake from inside the dream is to die.
Cobb, in the lawn chair opposite, PULLS his tubes out.
COBB
She’ll need a totem.
ARIADNE
What?
ARTHUR
Some kind of personal icon. A small object that you can always have with you, and that no one else knows.
Cobb gets to his feet, Ariadne stares at him, furious. He heads to the bathroom.
ARIADNE
That’s some subconscious you’ve got, Cobb.
(calls after him)
She’s a real charmer!
ARTHUR
Sounds like you’ve met Mrs. Cobb.
ARIADNE
(surprised)
She’s his wife?
Arthur nods, pulling off Ariadne’s tubes.
ARTHUR
So. A totem. You need something small, potentially heavy…
INT. BATHROOM, WORKSHOP — CONTINUOUS
Cobb takes out his PEWTER SPINNING TOP, SPINS it on the marble counter…
INT. WORKSHOP — CONTINUOUS
Ariadne looks at Arthur, puzzled.
ARIADNE
Like a coin?
ARTHUR
Too common. You need something that has a weight or movement that only you know.
INT. BATHROOM, WORKSHOP — CONTINUOUS
Cobb STUDIES the spin of the top as it decays, becoming more and more ECCENTRIC…
INT. WORKSHOP — CONTINUOUS
ARIADNE
What’s yours?
Arthur holds out a DIE.
ARTHUR
A loaded die.
Ariadne reaches for it — Arthur snatches it away—
ARTHUR
I can’t let you handle it. That’s the point. No one else can know the weight or balance of it.
ARIADNE
Why?
ARTHUR
So when you examine your totem…
INT. BATHROOM, WORKSHOP — CONTINUOUS
Cobb’s spinning top WOBBLES OVER.
ARTHUR (O.S.)
You know, beyond a doubt, that you’re not in someone else’s dream.
Cobb GRABS it like a drowning man reaching for a lifeline.
INT. WORKSHOP — CONTINUOUS
Ariadne thinks this over.
ARIADNE
That’s not an issue for me.
ARTHUR
Why not?
ARIADNE
Arthur, maybe you can’t see what’s going on, maybe you don’t want to. But Cobb’s got problems he’s tried to bury down there. I’m not going to open my mind to someone like that.
Ariadne gets to her feet. Walks away.
COBB (O.S.)
She’ll be back.
Arthur turns. Cobb is standing in the bathroom doorway.
COBB
I’ve never seen anyone pick it up so fast. And one reality won’t be enough for her now. When she comes back, get her building mazes.
ARTHUR
Where will you be?
COBB
I’ve got to talk to Eames.
ARTHUR
Eames? But he’s in Mombasa. Cobol’s backyard.
COBB
Necessary risk.
ARTHUR
There are plenty of other thieves.
COBB
We don’t just need a thief. We need a forger.
INT. GAMBLING DEN, MOMBASA — DAY
Crowded, bustling, smoke-filled. a westerner (40’s), shabby suit, is squeezed in at a dice game. This is EAMES. He FIDDLES with his last two chips.
COBB (O.S.)
Rub them against each other all you like, they’re not going to breed.
Eames looks up to see Cobb.
EAMES
You never know.
Eames tosses down his last chips. The dice are rolled…
COBB
Drink?
Eames loses.
EAMES
You’re buying.
Cobb follows Eames. Eames mysteriously produces two stacks of chips and puts them down in front of the cashier. Cobb pulls one off the top, squints at the embossed name.
COBB
You’re spelling hasn’t improved.
Eames GRABS the chip. Hands it to the cashier.
EAMES
Piss off.
COBB
How’s your handwriting?
Eames takes his money. Smiles at Cobb.
EAMES
Versatile.
INT. STREET, MOMBASA — CONTINUOUS
Eames leads Cobb down the quiet street.
EAMES
Word is, you’re not welcome in these parts.
COBB
Yeah?
EAMES
There’s a price on your head from Cobol Engineering. Pretty big one, actually.
COBB
You wouldn’t sell me out.
Eames looks at Cobb, offended.
EAMES
’Course I would.
COBB
(smiles)
Not when you hear what I’m selling.
EXT. BALCONY OF A COFFEE HOUSE — LATER
A ramshackle balcony overlooking a bust street. Eames pours.
COBB
Inception.
Eames’s glass stops halfway to his mouth.
COBB
Don’t bother telling me it’s impossible.
EAMES