Cobb prepares to fire. Ariadne GRABS the radio—
ARIADNE
Fischer, stop! It’s a trap!—
INT. DUCT SYSTEM, HOSPITAL COMPLEX — CONTINUOUS
Fischer does not see the flashing light on his radio as he carefully lifts the grate. He motions for Saito to stay…
INT. TOP ROOM, SOUTH TOWER, HOSPITAL COMPLEX — CONTINUOUS
Cobb TENSES to fire.
COBB
Come on… a little lower… a little—
COBB FREEZES — IT IS MAL IN HIS SIGHTS. Ariadne puts up her binoculars. Spots Mal. Fischer is climbing out of the vent…
ARIADNE
Cobb, that’s not really her—
Cobb turns to her—
COBB
How can you know that?
INT. ANTECHAMBER — CONTINUOUS
Fischer moves into the antechamber, cautious—
FISCHER
I’m in.
Fischer turns up the volume—
ARIADNE (OVER RADIO)
Fischer, look out!—
Mal DROPS gracefully to the floor behind him—
MAL
Hello.
INT. TOP ROOM, SOUTH TOWER, HOSPITAL COMPLEX — CONTINUOUS
Cobb looks at Ariadne—
ARIADNE
Cobb, she’s just a projection. Fischer… he’s real.
Cobb thinks. Nods, TURNS back to the scope — too late — MAL SHOOTS FISCHER — Cobb reflexively pulls the trigger — Mal GOES DOWN — Cobb steps back from the scope, STUNNED.
ARIADNE
Eames? Get to the anteroom now!
They run for the door.
INT. DUCT SYSTEM, HOSPITAL COMPLEX — CONTINUOUS
Saito STARTS as he hears the shot. He starts edging forwards, clutching his belly. And we—
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM 528 — NIGHT
The sleepers are floating in a rough stack, top-and-tailed. Arthur pulls the bedding from the bed and uses the sheet to bind the sleepers together. And we—
CUT TO:
INT./EXT. VAN — DAY
In EXTREME SLOW MOTION, the van CREEPS DOWNWARDS, still high above the river… and we—
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR — NIGHT
Arthur PUSHES the floating stack of sleepers to the elevator. He hits the button — the doors open — he pushes them in — GRABS the charges — climbs through the hatch in the ceiling and we—
CUT TO:
INT. DUCT SYSTEM, HOSPITAL COMPLEX — DAY
Eames steps over Saito, who looks up at him with DYING eyes—
INT. ANTECHAMBER, HOSPITAL CORRIDOR — DAY
Eames jumps out of the vent to find Cobb and Ariadne standing over the bodies of Fischer and Mal.
EAMES
What happened?
ARIADNE
Mal killed Fischer—
COBB
I wouldn’t shoot her.
Eames grabs a defibrillator from the wall and pulls Fischer’s jacket open—
COBB
It won’t do any good—
Eames SHOCKS Fischer’s chest…
COBB
Even if you could revive his body, his mind’s trapped down there. It’s over.
Eames listens for a pulse. Looks up at Cobb.
EAMES
So that it, then? We failed.
COBB
I’m sorry.
EAMES
It’s you who doesn’t get back to your family.
Eames looks down at Fischer. Then over to the double doors.
EAMES
I wanted to know what was going to happen in there. I think we had this one.
ARIADNE
There’s still a way: We follow Fischer down—
They look at her.
EAMES
We’re almost out of time—
ARIADNE
Down there they’ll be enough time. We’ll find him — soon as you hear Arthur’s music start, you use the defibrillator to revive him — we give him his own early kick from below.
(MORE)
ARIADNE (CONT’D)
Get him in there—
(points to doors)
Then, as the music ends you blow the hospital and we all ride the kick back up through the layers.
Eames looks at her, then to Cobb.
EAMES
Okay, Saito can hold them off while I plant the rest of the charges.
COBB
Saito’s not going to last, Eames.
ARIADNE
We have to try!
EAMES
Go for it, but I’m taking the kick whether you’re back or not…
Eames pulls the mechanism from his pack. Offers it to Ariadne. Cobb watches. Silent. Ariadne pulls out the tubes—
ARIADNE
Can I trust you to do what’s needed? Mal’s down there—
COBB
And I can find her. She’ll have Fischer.
ARIADNE
How do you know?
COBB
She wants me to come after him. She wants me back down there with her.
Cobb rolls up his sleeve. Ariadne rolls up her own sleeve. Eames NODS. Cobb and Ariadne lie down. Eames hits the button— WATER. BUBBLES. DROWNING. And we are—
EXT. COAST (LIMBO) — DAY
Ariadne lies in the SURF, STARING up at a CLOUDLESS SKY. A tremendous BOOM prompts her to look around her — URBAN BUILDINGS PILED right down to the water. The buildings are DECAYING, falling into the ocean like a GLACIER calving. Cobb WADES towards her through the shallow water. Ariadne looks up at the crumbling city around them.
ARIADNE
This is your world?
COBB
It was. And this is where she’ll be.
And we—
CUT TO:
INT. ELEVATOR SHAFT — DAY
Arthur floats on top of the elevator, planting small charges on the EMERGENCY BRAKES and CABLE. He sets them, GRABS the other explosives, then PUSHES AWAY, shooting up the shaft. As he hits the DETONATOR, BLASTING the braking and safety systems of the elevator, we move into SLOW MOTION, the fireballs FLAMING OUT in graceful licks and we—
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ANTECHAMBER — DAY
Eames RACES around, full speed — getting the defibrillator paddles — laying them by Fischer’s body — he runs into the duct — pulls Saito up to a seated position and hands him a handgun.
EAMES
Come on, Saito. I need you to cover Fischer while I plant the charges.
Saito nods weakly, tries to hold the gun. Eames moves to the window — pulls his machine gun off — checks its load. Ready. He watches the security patrols climb up the outer walls… Eames lays down a HAIL of covering fire — then heads outside—
EXT. HOSPITAL COMPLEX — CONTINUOUS
Eames races along the upper terrace dodging fire — BULLETS SHATTER a window behind him and we move into SLOW MOTION, the glass CASCADING GENTLY and we—
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. COAST (LIMBO) — DAY
Cobb and Ariadne climb out of the waves, full speed. They move into the shadow of the tall, crumbling buildings. The streets are eerily DESERTED. As they move further in, the buildings become NEWER, different. Ariadne marvels at the extraordinary collection of buildings — every architectural style imaginable in waves of FAILED UTOPIAS.
ARIADNE
You built all this?
COBB