The dingy bathroom reeked of mildew and grime. Lucas, fully embodying Arthur's urgency, blinked awake in the worn armchair. His wrists, chafed raw from the restraints, protested as he yanked free the tubes connected to their silver metal casing.
"What are you doing?" Lucas Haas, playing Nash, protested. "It's too early!"
Fluid spurted from the tubes as Arthur wrestled with the case on the grimy floor. "I know!" he spat, his voice laced with desperation. "I have to reconnect the loop before they reconnect!"
He stumbled towards the bedroom, following the tubes leading to Saito, who lay asleep on the bed. The man stirred as Arthur reached him, revealing the complex network of tubes and syringes within the silver case. He worked swiftly, his eyes flitting between the equipment and Saito's waking form.
"I won't make it!" he called out. "Wake Cobb!"
Meanwhile, in the grimy bathroom, Nash, turns to Leonardo DiCaprio, who portrays Cobb. The tension crackles in the air as Nash raises his hand and delivers a resounding smack across Cobb's face.
"He won't wake!" he exclaims, panic edging his voice.
Arthur, oblivious to the struggle in the bathroom, frantically connects the final tube to Saito's wrist. "Dunk him!" he yells.
A click echoes through the room, and Arthur looks up to find Saito staring down at him, a gun held to his head, a chilling silence broken only by the Saito's finger pressed against his lips, gesturing silence.
Back in the bathroom, Nash forces Cobb backwards, pushing him towards the bathtub's edge. Cobb tumbles into the water, gasping for breath as he surfaces, his eyes wide with shock.
Saito bursts into the bathroom, knocking Nash aside. Cobb, fueled by adrenaline, launches himself out of the tub, water cascading off him as he tackles Saito against the door. The gun clattered to the floor, and Cobb's fist connected with Saito's jaw, ending the struggle.
Silence descended, broken only by the ragged breaths of the men. It was then that Cobb, his voice raspy, addressed Saito, "You came prepared..."
Saito grunted, slowly regaining his composure. They exchanged words, a tense dialogue playing out against the backdrop of the messy room. Arthur, however, remained fixated on the window, his eyes filled with urgency.
Though the window outside offered nothing but green screen and empty space, Lucas, embodying Arthur with remarkable conviction, spoke, his voice tight with urgency. "They're getting closer, Cobb," he warned, his gaze unwavering from the green wall.
***
Filming hummed along as Arthur and Cobb continued their performance. Their objective: convince Saito he was already in reality. Tensions mounted as Cobb escalated his threats, but Saito remained unfazed, breaking into laughter. His gaze then focused on a seemingly out-of-place red carpet in the room. Cobb, noticing Saito's shift, turned to Nash with a flicker of annoyance.
The scene unfolded, each take bringing them closer to perfection. Finally, after careful adjustments and directorial cues, the filming wrapped.
However, this wasn't a one-take wonder. Several factors necessitated multiple takes. One issue was Lucas Naas' portrayal of Nash. While overall his performance was exceptional, there were scenes where his physical interactions with Leonardo DiCaprio, like a crucial slap sequence, needed more intensity. Additionally, the dynamic between Lucas Naas and Ken Watanabe (Saito) required further refinement to capture the desired level of tension.
Despite these minor adjustments, Lucas impressed the cast and crew with his dedication and talent. He garnered respect and admiration from all on set. Once the "dream within a dream" scene was complete, the team moved on to capture other moments crucial to the film's narrative. One such location was the train sequence, originally envisioned for Tokyo, was filmed in Los Angeles. The helicopter scene, where Saito extended his invitation to Cobb and Arthur, was filmed on a certain rooftop hotel in Los Angeles...
The rooftop air buzzed with the relaxed chatter of cast and crew after wrapping several intense scenes. Lucas, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, leaned against the railing, enjoying the city's view.
"London, huh?" Ken raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his voice. "Sounds like exciting times ahead."
Lucas nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, there's a scene I need to prepare for..."
"The zero-gravity brawl, right?" Leonardo chimed in, his eyes knowing. He and Nolan had discussed that scene at length, both excited and apprehensive about its ambitious nature.
Lucas confirmed with another nod. The conversation flowed easily, punctuated by jokes and talked a while. Later, he met with director Boyle, discussing the upcoming challenges and refining his understanding of the scene.
The next morning, Lucas stepped at the Los Angeles International Airport, with the other stunt performers. Their flight to London awaited, buzzing with anticipation and a touch of nervous excitement. The two-week filming stretch had taken its toll, and Lucas felt a welcome wave of exhaustion settle over him as he boarded the plane. As the aircraft soared into the sky, carrying him towards London and the unique demands of the zero-gravity scene, Lucas drifted off to sleep, his mind filled with a mix of trepidation and anticipation.
***
The journey across the Atlantic finally ended as the plane carrying Lucas and the other stunt performers touched down at London Heathrow. Stepping off the aircraft, they exchanged tired smiles, the lingering exhaustion from weeks of filming in Los Angeles momentarily eased by the excitement of the upcoming challenge.
Their taxi navigated the bustling streets, eventually arriving at their pre-arranged accommodation courtesy of Emma Thomas Production, secured with the financial backing of Warner Bros. As Lucas entered his temporary home, a sense of anticipation settled in. He knew the real test awaited.
Moments later, he received a call summoning him to the set, along with stunt performers. Curiosity piqued, Lucas made his way to the designated location. What greeted him stopped him in his tracks.
A colossal structure dominated the room, a rotating set unlike anything he had ever seen. It stood still for now, but the sheer scale and complexity were enough to spark a mixture of awe and trepidation within him.
The air buzzed with anticipation. Lucas exchanged notes with the other stunt performers, discussing their individual approaches and collaborating on potential challenges.
As he took in the complicated details, operators and crew members, key players in the "Inception" team, approached him. Their greetings were warm.