Chapter 31: Learning Through Dreams
While Jake and Cobb were talking, Cobb's partner Arthur approached.
"I've arranged transport; there's a helicopter currently on the roof." However, he paused when he noticed Jake.
"This is an associate," Cobb didn't really want to introduce Jake. Although he was desperate to go home, he wouldn't drag his trusted partner into this seemingly dangerous situation.
Being able to freely travel between different realities—wasn't that dangerous enough?
"The current owner of that helicopter should be Saito, a wealthy Japanese businessman," Jake said.
Cobb gestured for Arthur to verify.
A few minutes later, Arthur returned with a grim expression. "Someone sold us out."
His expression and tone confirmed that what Jake had said was accurate.
"Arthur, you should head back to the States." Cobb slowly crouched down to collect the gun parts scattered on the floor. Only then did Arthur notice the disassembled weapon.
"Is there danger?!" Arthur pulled a pistol from his jacket, lowered the muzzle, and quickly moved to Cobb's side.
The two had worked together for years and had an unprecedented level of trust.
"No danger," Cobb said, gathering all the parts and standing up. His tone was wistful, yet hopeful. "This is my new employer. I'm going home."
Arthur glanced at Jake, who waved and smiled in response.
"Go back. I believe we'll see each other again in New York soon," Cobb said, patting Arthur's shoulder. Arthur could tell Cobb meant it.
He nodded firmly, immediately went back to his room to pack, changed into casual clothes, and left.
"Alright, let's go," Cobb said in a low voice, now unburdened, as he approached Jake.
"You don't need to be so fatalistic. It's just teaching me some techniques, not a suicide mission," Jake said, grabbing Cobb's arm and instantly traveling through worlds...
...to The Princess Diaries reality.
Two people suddenly appeared on a quiet street in San Francisco.
One was a well-built, middle-aged man in a suit; the other was younger and leaner.
They remained frozen in place for about two seconds before reacting.
"Where are we?" Cobb shook his head, looking around at the unfamiliar buildings, his eyes full of confusion.
Of course he wouldn't recognize it. Inception was a 2010 film, while The Princess Diaries was set in 2001—a nine-year difference, practically nothing in common.
"This is San Francisco in 2001," Jake said without hesitation.
The reason he dared reveal his world-traveling ability to Cobb was firstly because he respected Leonardo DiCaprio's work; secondly, there was Dom Cobb himself. Although he looked only about 35, his mind had experienced what felt like 90 years, like a weary soul who didn't want to harm anyone. If there's anyone least attracted to material wealth, besides those who can't appreciate it, it's the spiritually exhausted.
Cobb belonged to that category.
Finally, Jake wanted to test whether he could transport someone through worlds, and now, his experiment had succeeded.
"Your abilities are truly remarkable," Cobb said, though his face showed no envy. Right now, he probably just wanted to teach Jake quickly and then go home to see his children.
Jake made a call to Silas, and soon a somewhat worn Jeep pulled up in front of them. The driver was Silas, the well-compensated attorney Jake had hired.
"Didn't expect you to drive a Jeep. Thought you'd prefer something flashier," Jake teased Silas slightly before leading Cobb into the vehicle.
Driven by Silas, the three of them traveled along winding roads to a remote estate outside San Francisco.
The property covered roughly a square mile, even including a small hill.
"Actually, this is my new place, but it's my first time seeing it," Jake said somewhat sheepishly to Cobb.
Old European-style architecture, a peaked-roof manor house.
Five interconnected buildings.
A sprawling golf course, horse stables, athletic fields, and even a neglected helicopter pad.
In front of the manor was a large fountain courtyard, though it no longer functioned, and the sculptural figures in the pool were damaged. There was also a sizable lake, accessible only by boat.
The lake was overgrown with algae.
If it weren't for the many things in disrepair, this place would look more like a movie set than a residence, and the price probably wouldn't have been so reasonable.
Jake and Cobb struggled to row a rusty boat across to the main building.
"This place has serious character, Silas," Jake said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Get everything repaired that can be fixed. Contact someone to build a bridge over this lake... no, first, get us a proper boat. I'm done with rowing."
Fortunately, although the exterior looked dilapidated and abandoned, the interior of the manor was reasonably furnished, complete with modern utilities. It seemed the previous owners had still visited occasionally.
After Jake and Cobb chose rooms, they sent Silas away.
The lesson in extraction techniques began...
"Okay," Cobb perked up as soon as the topic turned to extraction. "We only use a small portion of our brain's potential when we're awake."
"In a sleep state, the human mind can do almost anything."
Jake deeply agreed; having taken NZT-48, he naturally understood just how powerful the brain's potential was.
He picked up a soda from the table, took a sip, and gestured for Cobb to continue.
"For example, when designing a building, you consciously plan every detail, but sometimes it feels like it's already complete, you know what I mean?"
"It's like I didn't create it, but rather discovered it," Jake replied.
"Exactly, like inspiration," Cobb continued. "In dreams, our minds continue this process, simultaneously creating and perceiving the dream world. This process is so seamless that we don't even realize we're dreaming, which is how we can enter other people's dreams."
"That's what I want to learn," Jake nodded and asked, "So how exactly do we do it?"
"By designing dream spaces," Cobb explained, holding a pen while sketching a simple diagram. "You create the world of the dream, and we bring the subject into it. The dream will populate itself with projections from the subject's subconscious."
"Despite everything you've said," Jake frowned, "I still don't understand how to design a dream, how to enter someone else's dream, or how to bring someone into mine. And why would they believe the dream I design is real?"
Cobb, however, leaned back casually in his chair. "Dreams always feel real in the moment. Only when we wake up do we realize how strange things were."
Thinking about it, that's exactly how dreams work—there's no logic to them, yet the dreaming self accepts everything as real.
"Let me ask you—you never remember the beginning of your dreams, right? You always find yourself in the middle of a scene."
Looking at the relaxed Cobb, Jake nodded. "Usually."
"So, how did we get here?"
"We came from..."
He wanted to answer, but couldn't recall the beginning, because everything before this moment didn't exist in his memory.
A gleaming Harley-Davidson parked near a produce stand, a 15-story office building, and a coffee shop across the street—everything felt so reasonable, yet strange and unfamiliar.
"Are we dreaming?"
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