Brilliant Boy

**Brilliant Boy** is the seventh episode of the first season of Mega Man. It is the seventh episode overall.

## Plot

The group struggle to cope with A.C. Montana's shocking revelation. Mega Man tries to keep the peace while P. puts together a mission of his own. Rod NaCervera is given an ultimatum.

## Synopsis

In a flashback, Virginia and Cal sit in the cabin together while Virginia checks her watch. The two nervously sit, with Virginia glancing around the room and Cal constantly shaking his leg. The two begin to wonder what's taking so long for their signal, but eventually the signal comes. Virginia and Cal gather what little supplies they have into backpacks and leave the cabin. Meanwhile, in the Hub, A.C. Montana sits on his usual bench, glancing at his surroundings, clearly making sure he wasn’t followed. As the tram pulls into the station, A.C. stands up nervously and dusts off his duster jacket. Virginia and Cal step off the tram and the three cautiously greet each other. The three awkwardly stand close together. Another tram begins to pull into the station with one destination left: The Asylum. A.C., Virginia, and Cal sit together on the tram, A.C. by himself on one side and Virginia and Cal across from him. A.C. watches as the scenery around him changes from a vast cityscape to a suburban area, where the tram suddenly stops. Cal wonders why they're stopping and what's going on. A.C. decides that their situation is unsafe and they must leave. A.C., Virginia, and Cal get up from their seats and begin walking towards the back of the tram car as other concerned citizens look on, wondering what’s going on. A.C., Virginia and Cal climb out of the tram through the back door and look over the tracks. They discover that the Cosmonauts have blocked off the tram lines, as the tram’s electrical systems have failed. Virginia and Cal begin to have doubts, but A.C. insists that they need to keep going, as they don't know how much longer Mega Man has left. As the three discuss this, a Cosmonaut turns the corner and notices them, asking who they are and what they are doing. A.C. attempts to lie their way out of the situation, but the Cosmonaut eventually figures out who they are and informs his allies that the Friends of P. are on board. The Cosmonaut pulls out an electric prod and prepares to electrocute Cal, but he dodges out of the way while Virginia grabs the Cosmonaut and pries the prod away, tossing it to A.C. who uses it on the Cosmonaut, shorting out his suit.

A.C., Virginia, and Cal make their way towards the bridge, avoiding the Cosmonauts making their way towards the back. Virginia starts walking across the bridge, followed by Cal and A.C. Montana. As they cross, the light from the tram kicks back on as A.C. tells them to run. The three begin running across the bridge, but find that they can't out-run the tram. A.C. tells them that they have no choice but to jump. After some deliberation, the three jump off the bridge as the tram passes by overhead, with A.C. landing in an inground pool in somebody's backyard. A.C. emerges from the water and takes a deep breath. He gets out of the pool and looks around. He notices that he’s at the edge of this neighborhood, as the bridge above leads down a steep drop-off into the woods. A.C. turns around as the light inside the house turns on. He runs away and climbs over the fence, stumbling and falling down the hill, landing at the base in the woods. He gets up and looks around, noticing Virginia lying unconscious next to him. He helps her up, but she is clearly delirious. He looks over her, and notices that her left wrist is badly out of its socket and she has a massive gash on her head. Cal calls to them from up in a tree, his leg badly broken. A.C. offers to help Cal and puts Virginia down against a nearby tree. As A.C. informs Cal of Virginia's condition, a gunshot rings out behind them as Virginia collapses to the ground, dead. A.C. draws his pistols and begins looking around while Cal draws his from the tree, though he is upside down. A group of Cosmonauts descend from the treeline towards A.C. and Cal. A.C. manages to get Cal down from the tree as Cal realizes that they've passed into a Cosmonaut military base. A.C. tries to get Cal out of there, but Cal insists that A.C. leave him behind. A.C. reluctantly agrees and apologizes to Cal, but Cal tells him not to be. A.C. reluctantly runs away, avoiding the Cosmonauts. Cal stands up on his leg and hobbles over to Virginia’s corpse, crouches down, and holds her head up on his knee and thanks her for being a friend. He smiles at her and fires at the Cosmonauts, only to be shot dead himself. A few days later, A.C. attends their funeral with P., Wheeler, and Rudolph. Rudolph sits in the first row next to Wheeler who sits quietly in the front row, arms folded across his chest, angrily thinking about what happened while staring detached at the coffins. P. and A.C. stand over the coffins as P. tells A.C. that whoever did this to them has to pay. A.C. promises P. that they already have. P. begins making plans to go after the culprits, but A.C. tells P. not to talk about it now. A shadowy figure in the back of the funeral home peeks his head in, looking at the coffins. Wheeler senses this and turns around, but the shadowy figure retreats back into the shadows. Wheeler looks comfortable, yet nervous. He remains seated. P. tells A.C. that he's glad he's still here and says that he fears the day that he's not with him.

Back in the present, A.C. and P. stand face to face as P., Mega Man, and Wheeler take in the news in the parking lot of the Friends of C. building they've burned down. Mega Man feels guilty, saying that they died because of him, but P. corrects him saying that they died because of A.C. Summer Girl and Sharp emerge from the woods on the motorcycle and come across the tense moment. The two ask what's going on, but P. begins slowly backing away from the group, motioning to Sharp to follow him. The two begin slowly backing away until they turn their backs and head for the vehicles. With P. gone, A.C. attempts to reason with Mega Man and Wheeler, trying to get them to understand where he was coming from and the guilt he's carried with him for the seven years since they died. Wheeler angrily berates A.C., telling him that he's put them through unknowable pain. Mega Man tells the two to stop arguing and tries to tell Wheeler that what happened was clearly an accident, but tells A.C. that lying about it was still wrong. Wheeler tells them that he can't deal with this right now and departs from the parking lot. Summer asks what happened and A.C. explains that he had to explain the truth about Virginia and Cal in order to save Rod NaCervera's life. Mega Man tells them that he doesn't know where to go from there, but says that they went too far tonight and need to take a step back. The three then leave the parking lot.

On an old dirt road, a dirty and beaten up Rod NaCervera walks down the road by himself, having just escaped his constraints. He does not look well. He has a black eye from Sharp’s rifle and cuts along his face and arms, as well as ripped clothes. A car pulls up to him and the driver asks him what happened. The motorist then recognizes Rod as the Autumn representative from Alphaville and says he's a reporter and can help him get the people responsible. Rod then gets in the car and says that he'll kill the people responsible for what they did to him and Alphaville. The motorist, somewhat disturbed, asks Rod if he'd like to be taken to Alphaville. Rod initially agrees, but changes his mind and asks to be taken to San Simeon Bay.

Out on another road, Mega Man and Summer Girl drive in one of the Friends of C. cars they stole. They discuss A.C.'s revelation and his motives and the impact it has on the state of the gang these days. Mega Man then tells Summer that she should get out before thinks get worse, as she has a duty to Alphaville. Summer tells Mega Man that he should get out too, but he replies that he can't, as he has nothing here except for the Friends of P. and he feels as if it's his responsibility to fix things. Summer then reveals to him that Rod is a Season and a member of the Friends of C. and says that if she walks away, P. will kill Rod and she has to make sure he doesn't. Mega Man apologizes for capturing Rod, but she says that it's all right, as he didn't know. Elsewhere, Sharp and P. drive down the street on Sharp's motorcycle. Sharp asks P. where to take him and P. says that he'd like to go to the camp, now that he's homeless. P. asks Sharp if Rod is dead and Sharp lies, saying that he got away. Sharp cautiously brings up that Summer may be right about Rod, as he doesn't seem right to sentence millions of people to death just to kill Rod. P. insults Sharp, saying that if he's not cut out for the work, there are plenty of other real mercenaries he could hire instead. Sharp resents this, saying that he hasn't gone soft. P. replies that he knows he hasn't.

At the graveyard, Wheeler stands above Virginia’s and Cal’s gravestones as *Rachel*’s lights illuminate him. He kneels down, but soon here’s a noise behind him and draws his gun, turning around. A.C. lifts his hands up in surrender. A.C. tells Wheeler that he'd prefer if he didn't shoot him, but wouldn't blame him if he did. Wheeler motions towards the graves and tells A.C. that P. was right and what happened to them was his fault. A.C. gives Wheeler a speech, saying that he's been feeling the guilt ever since and that Cal called him lucky, yet he hasn't felt that way. Wheeler tells him that none of that would have happened, had he just listened to P. A.C. then asks if Wheeler is going to shoot him. Wheeler holds his gun on A.C., contemplating pulling the trigger, but decides against it. Wheeler explains that just because he spared his life, doesn't mean they're still friends. Wheeler holsters his gun and walks back to his car. He gets in the driver’s seat and gives A.C. a glare. He backs away from the graves, leaving A.C. alone in the dark. He turns and looks at the gravestones, wracked with guilt.

Rod walks up to the front gates at San Simeon Bay, having just been dropped off. As he approaches, Cosmonauts guarding the gate stop him and demand he state his business with William San Simeon. Rod introduces himself and says that he has information regarding the Friends of P. and he sees it fit to share it with San Simeon. William himself then speaks through the intercom, telling his Cosmonauts to let Rod inside. The gates swing open as Rod impatiently waits for the Cosmonauts to move out of the way. He then walks towards the main house. William steps out and greets Rod personally, though Rod is a bit taken aback by San Simeon's bathrobe. William then brings Rod inside his lavish mansion and shows him around. Rod is impressed, but loses interest quickly when San Simeon starts talking about a potential remodel. San Simeon then tells Rod about how sorry he is that he couldn't make it to the party the other day and says he's disappointed with Summer's presence. Rod starts to walk off, rather disinterested and takes a seat on the stairs. San Simeon looks confused at his lack of proper etiquette, despite his high status. San Simeon cuts to the chase and asks Rod what information he has and Rod shows William his injuries. San Simeon half-heartedly extends sympathies, but moves on to explain how much money the Friends of P. have cost him over the years and says he's becoming desperate and is now offering a senior partnership stake in San Sindustries to the person who brings him the Friends of P. Rod then admits that he doesn't know where the Friends of P. are exactly, but he knows how to get their attention, which is to say staging a heist. San Simeon is taking aback by this, refusing to give up his own products. Rod replies that they'll never get the chance as the remainder of his crew, as well as San Simeon's Cosmonauts will be there to stop them. William then tells Rod to take a shower and get some sleep and they'll work out the finer details in the morning. Rod gets up and heads towards the bathroom as San Simeon looks at him in disbelief. In the bathroom, Rod is blown away by its extravagance. He walks over to the shower and turns it on. Before stepping in, he takes a look in the mirror and notices what bad shape he’s in. Meanwhile, William walks into his office and takes a seat, dialing a number on his old rotary phone. He leaves a message for someone, saying that Rod has stopped by and says that he needs his help. After a brief conversation, William hangs up, saying he'll see them in the morning.

The next morning, Jonze sits in his usual spot at the mercenaries bar, having a drink and reading the paper. The bell over the front door rings and in walks Sharp, looking incredibly tired and angry. Jonze greets Sharp, asking where he's been and that they all thought he was dead. Sharp flatly says that he's not dead and Jonze says that he had him fooled. He goes back to his paper and takes a sip of his drink. The bartender walks by their table and Sharp waves him down, asking for a coffee, the same as Jonze. Sharp looks over Jonze and asks him what his problem is, as he's been gone for so long and all Jonze can muster is an insult. Sharp grabs the paper from Jonze to see what's so interesting. As he reads, he notices his own grainy picture, along with other grainy photos of A.C. Montana and Wheeler, as seen from the Alphaville security cameras. Jonze asks Sharp how he is and Sharp replies that he's not so good. The bartender brings Sharp his coffee and he puts down the paper and takes a sip. Jonze asks Sharp if he's worried and he asks if he should be. Jonze admits that he might be and says that he doesn't trust P. Sharp admits that P. pays his bills, but that doesn't mean he has to like him. Jonze is skeptical, asking Sharp if he's still with them because he's started to believe in the Friends of P. mission statement, but Sharp denies, saying that he's a mercenary and he isn't afraid of a little job. Jonze tells him that they'll see about that. Sharp sneers and goes back to his coffee. Jonze does the same.

At the cliffside camp, P. sits by himself on a rock near a snuffed campfire. He gets up and walks over to the cliff to observe the view when Mega Man arrives, saying that he's come to check in and asks how he is. P. explains that he's not feeling all that well and Mega Man replies that he understands. P. asks Mega Man if he doubts him and Mega Man asks why P. would ask that. P. explains that Mega Man tried to stop him from doing what was right last night, but Mega Man corrects him saying that he was preventing him from taking things too far, as they've gotten their revenge and it's all over now. P. explains that it isn't over yet, as they are at war and it won't be over until they win. Mega Man asks P. what happened to helping people and P. replies that they've simply fallen on hard times, but they'll climb out of it. Mega Man asks if he plans on climbing out of it with A.C. and P., with a twitch in his eye, replies that A.C. will be with them. Mega Man says that he's relieved. He then joins P. at his side, asking how it was to sleep in the cave and P. explains that it was nice and peaceful as he was allowed to critically think on what transpired and get a few hours of sleep, adding that it felt like old times, echoing Mega Man's words from the night before. Mega Man gives him a smile and P. returns one shortly after.

In Alphaville, Summer sits on a bench in the large bank, looking nervously at the door leading behind the counter. A teller glances up at her and then back to his work. Summer stands up, but then sits back down immediately after. The teller glances up again and recognizes Summer, asking her what the matter is. Summer says that it's nothing, but the teller calls her bluff. Summer then admits that she needs to see the vaults and the bank teller asks her what she needs money for. Summer tells the teller that she needs to talk to him in private and the teller agrees to take her to his office. Once inside, Summer says that she believes the Friends of P. will come after the bank and that she wants to make sure the vaults are secure. The teller assures her that they are, but Summer insists that she needs to see them for herself. The two then head down the elevator to the vault and the teller explains how long the bank has been in operation and what a shame it is that the Friends of P. want to destroy it, which Summer responds to shyly. Once at the vault, the teller tells Summer that she needs to turn around so he can put in the combination, as only bank employees are allowed to know it. As the teller does so, the door swings open. Summer turns back around and follows him through the door. Summer stands in a room filled with gold bars and stacks of Alphaville dollars, as well as other valuables and safe deposit boxes. The teller explains that the floor is made out of pure energy. Summer didn’t even notice at first, but she stomps her foot on the ground and realizes that the floor is see-through and leads down to a seemingly bottomless abyss. The teller says that makes it impossible for anybody to drill underneath the vault and says that the floor is solar powered and as long as the sun shines, the floor will be safe. He then explains the thickness of the walls and ceilings, as well as their state of the art alarm system. Summer concludes that the only way in is through the vault door, prompting the teller to turn around and face it. As he does so, Summer quickly grabs two stacks of Alphaville dollars and places them in her pocket before the teller notices. The two then exit the vault and head back in the elevator, where Summer asks the teller to promise her to keep their visit a secret, as she doesn't want to put herself in danger with the Friends of P., which the teller agrees.

In the Hub, A.C. sits in his usual spot, reading a San Sindustries pamphlet. Mega Man approaches A.C. and tells him that the prices are outrageous and the two of them should do something about it, harkening back to their first exchange upon Mega Man's return. A.C. is surprised to see Mega Man, who explains that he's here to check in on him. A.C. is surprised by this and Mega Man explains that what happened to Virginia and Cal was an accident and if their positions were reversed, he would have done the same thing. A.C. explains that P. and Wheeler don't see it that way, but Mega Man is optimistic that they'll both come around. A.C. hopes that he's right, as he'd hate to see their family torn apart. A.C. shares the same sentiment as P., that the Friends of P. have had a few bad breaks and it won't be long until they're back to the way things were. A.C. then adds that just because what happened to Virginia and Cal was an accident, it doesn't mean he feels any less guilty and Mega Man explains that he knows more than he might think. A.C. looks at Mega Man, wanting to know more, but restrains himself from prying deeper, seeing the pain in Mega Man’s eyes as he thinks about Kirby.

At San Simeon Bay, William opens the door and greets Jesus, who had just made the last minute trip for their meeting. Wishing to cut straight to business, Jesus asks immediately where Rod is and William explains that he's upstairs, tending to his wounds, but that he'll be fine and just needs to sleep it off. Rod then walks downstairs and Jesus greets him warmly. The three adjourn to the dining room where Rod explains what happened to their office building, as well as his crew. San Simeon adds that the Friends of C. were holding on to products for him and Dr. Vada in that office, which annoys Rod greatly and Jesus confirms that they were. Jesus asks Rod what he wants to do about this situation and Rod informs that he wants to kill the Friends of P. and that he wants to lure them into another fight, but Jesus is skeptical. The phone rings and William excuses himself to go answer it. While he's gone, Jesus informs Rod that Big Daddy C. is not happy with him for the constant failures and that if Rod doesn't deliver on his promise to kill the Friends of P., he will be demoted. San Simeon then returns to the room with the phone, revealing that he's getting a call from "Chester Munroe", really P. in disguise. "Chester Munroe" informs San Simeon that the Friends of P. have hit one of his warehouses and needs a new shipment sent by tram, rather than truck to throw the Friends of P. off his scent. William agrees to this and hangs up the phone, telling Jesus and Rod that they've got their fake shipment. Rod promises to handle things himself, but William denies, saying he's going to send the Cosmonauts to do it, as Rod's crew is dwindling and they've never done him any favors in the past. Rod angrily objects to this, but Jesus sides with San Simeon. Rod exits the mansion, angry that he's being pushed out of the plan he helped to create. Rod exits the fairgrounds as the Cosmonauts close the gate behind him. Rod approaches the Friends of C. security guards, some of whom are the remains of Rod’s crew, who escorted Jesus to the property. Rod asks one of the agents for a ride back home and the agent agrees. The two discuss getting Rod a new crew and having a meeting in Alphaville later that night.

At the Hub, Mega Man and A.C. sit on the bench when their pagers go off, shocking the both of them. The two decide to head to camp. At the camp, P. paces back and forth, anxiously awaiting the arrival of his gang. Wheeler walks up the path and P. excitedly greets him, informing him that they've got a mission and it's a good one. Rudolph shows up next, however he is skeptical about the shipment, as he hasn't heard anything from his sources. P. urges Rudolph to trust him, which he agrees and then greets Wheeler cordially. Later that evening, Sharp arrives with Jonze. P. greets the both of them and tells Sharp that he needs a word privately. Jonze joins Wheeler and Rudolph at the campfire, who are both surprised to see him, as they've never met before. Jonze casually introduces himself. After getting acquainted, Sharp joins them. Some time later, Mega Man, Summer Girl, and A.C. arrive and P. unexcitedly tells them that he's glad they made it. A.C. attempts to talk to P., but P. silences him, saying that what happened between was water under the bridge, shocking A.C. Summer points to Jonze and asks who he is and P. explains that he's an extra hand for the mission, as this one is big and they'll need help. P. then brings the group together and explains to them his plan, which involves knocking off a tram at the Hub the following night, revealing that he called in the shipment himself using his "Chester Munroe" alias. Mega Man, Summer, and A.C. are skeptical, but P. only addresses Mega Man's and Summer's concerns, urging them to "have a little faith." Rudolph voices his own concerns about how they already have too much heat on them and they need to back off, but P. remains sure that this plan is perfect, as San Simeon won't know what hit him and the Friends of C. will be embarrassed that they've failed to protect another shipment. Rudolph reminds P. that the point of the Friends of P. is to help the needy and Mega Man tells P. that this better not be another revenge mission. P. turns the criticism against his detractors and says that they've all forgotten who they are. Wheeler chimes in in support of the mission, followed by Jonze and then Sharp, who takes a glance at A.C. After a moment’s hesitation from Mega Man, Summer Girl, A.C., and Rudolph, they speak up, each voices their cautious support for the mission. P. urges everyone else to get some rest while he and Sharp put the specifics together. P. heads into the cave, while Summer carefully hands Sharp the stack of Alphaville dollars. Jonze walks over to the cave entrance, takes a seat against the wall, and begins cleaning his revolver. Wheeler picks up an ax and begins walking into the woods, saying he's going to grab some more fire wood. Mega Man decides to accompany him and the two depart.

A.C. asks Rudolph if he knew about the shipment and Rudolph says that he had no idea, prompting Summer to voice her doubts. A.C. assures the both of them that things will probably be fine. Rudolph adds that he's surprised P. is excluding A.C. from the planning stage, but A.C. reveals that he and P. have had something of a falling out in the wake of his revelation about Virginia and Cal, which he then explains to Rudolph. Meanwhile in the forest, Mega Man and Wheeler start chopping wood while Mega Man asks Wheeler how he's feeling. Wheeler acts hostile to Mega Man, saying there is no need for him to be out there with him. Mega Man tells Wheeler that what happened to Virginia and Cal was an accident, but Wheeler refuses to hear it, saying that A.C. should have listened to P. Wheeler then blames Mega Man, saying that they died looking for him, but Mega Man says that it wasn't his fault and then asking what happened to Wheeler, but he says that he hasn't changed at all, but Mega Man has changed. Mega Man retorts saying that P. is different now, not him. Wheeler accuses A.C. of getting in Mega Man's head and corrupting him. Wheeler then abandons Mega Man in the woods and says he'll see him in the morning, coldly calls him "brother." Wheeler storms back up through the camp, coldly passing Summer, A.C., and Rudolph. A.C. asks if Wheeler is all right, but he ignores him. When Mega Man returns, A.C. asks the same of him, but he just says that Wheeler is still mad.

In Alphaville, Rod rallies a group of angry citizens and the remains of his crew together to get revenge on the Friends of P. for all the wrong they've brought upon them.

At the camp, A.C. visits P. in the cave and asks to speak with him alone. What starts as a somewhat civil discussion turns sour when A.C. mentions that he's trying to keep their family together, but P. replies that A.C. got their family killed. A.C. breaks and tells P. that he needs to move on and focus on the now and who they have left. P. accuses A.C. of stealing the remaining members away from him. A.C. tells P. that he's losing people because of his lack of accountability and sending them on suicide missions. P. then retorts that A.C. has been undermining him at every turn and left him with little choice, as well as manipulating the other members to "his side." A.C. sticks up for them, saying that they all have their own minds and can decide for themselves. P. then calls their meeting to a close. A.C. then leaves the cave and P. turns his back. A.C. drops his angry face and looks back at P. but then leaves the cave. P. looks back at the entrance only to find P. gone. He then kicks his plans into the fire, incinerating them.

The following day, Mega Man sits around the campfire with Summer Girl, A.C. Montana and Rudolph, nervously waiting for their time to leave. On the other side of camp, Sharp, Wheeler, and Jonze sit and polish their guns when P. walks out and greets them kindly. The camera settles on the two groups doing opposite tasks. From across the camp, P. and A.C. lock eyes with each other, full of distrust and doubt for each other. Both men stand up and walk towards each other, followed by their respective groups. P. and A.C. then stand face to face as Mega Man, Summer Girl, and Rudolph stand behind A.C. and Sharp, Wheeler and Jonze standing behind P. As they get ready to leave, Mega Man pulls P. and A.C. aside telling them for the final time that they need to put their differences aside for the good of the gang and tells them that they're his two closest friends. P. and A.C. both nod silently and then rejoin the others. Mega Man looks nervous. The Friends of P. leave the camp, walking through the forest without saying a word.

At the tram station, P. informs the group of the plan to send A.C., Wheeler, and Rudolph to the Hub early and places Rudolph in charge, much to his confusion. P. then informs everybody else that they'll be on the second tram in partners, one group in front, one in back, and P. himself in the middle. He tells Sharp and Jonze that it's their responsibility to take over the tram's engine room. The first tram pulls up as the first group gets on. P. tells the others to split up until the Hub, as it's best not to be seen together. Sharp and Jonze walk over to the edge of the tracks, preparing to get in the furthest car up front. Mega Man and Summer Girl walk towards the other side. P. moves somewhere in the middle. Mega Man and Summer discuss the plan, neither feeling comfortable with it. Once the tram arrives, they all step on. On the first tram, A.C. and Rudolph sit next to each other while Wheeler sits alone across the aisle. Rudolph apologizes to A.C. about the situation, but A.C. replies that it isn't his fault. Rudolph tells A.C. that he believes that he should be leading them. Wheeler listens in, angry. Rudolph then transfers his leadership position in the mission to A.C., as Rudolph believes he's the only one of them left that remembers what the Friends of P. are meant to be about. Wheeler then informs them that they've arrived. Rudolph gets up first and makes his way towards the door. A.C. and Wheeler stand up at the same time. A.C. invites Wheeler to go first, but Wheeler sternly insists A.C. go first. A.C. reluctantly does so and Wheeler moves in after him. A.C. tells Wheeler that he can trust him, as he doesn't like walking around like Wheeler's holding a gun to his back, but Wheeler says that he'll trust him as soon as he knows A.C. isn't lying to him anymore.

On the second tram, Mega Man and Summer Girl sit awkwardly in the last car, noticing that there are only three other people in their car. Summer takes careful note of this. Mega Man turns back to look at her, but she subtly shakes her head and points towards one of the other people in the car. Mega Man takes the hint and about faces. In the front car, Sharp and Jonze sit in the front two seats, looking out the door to the engine room. Jonze sits facing Sharp with his back to the window. Jonze looks back and notices how few people are in the tram and then looks over at Sharp. Jonze leans over and asks Sharp if he knows they've walked into a trap and Sharp says he knows. Outside, a massive wind gust rocks the tram, causing Sharp and Jonze to lose their balance. In the back, Mega Man loses balance as Summer becomes immediately suspicious. Suddenly, a sound is heard atop the tram, prompting Summer to realize that Rod is on the tram. Summer stands up and begins walking towards the front of the car. Mega Man asks her where she's going, but she ignores him and continues moving, stopping short when she recognizes one of the people in the front as an Alphaville resident. Gunshots ring out a few cars ahead of them. Summer turns her attention to the front and Mega Man gets up to join her. While Summer’s attention is divided, Albert starts to draw a gun, but Mega Man notices. He tells Summer to watch out as the other two people in the car restrain Mega Man. Summer asks the Alphaville resident, a man named Albert, what's going on, but he says that this must be done. Albert draws his gun and makes his way towards Mega Man, preparing to shoot him in the head. Summer gets up after him, ripping a piece of steel from the wall and knocking Albert unconscious. Mega Man then flies upwards, hitting the other assailants' heads on the roof of the tram. Mega Man asks Summer what was going on and she informs him that Rod is here. On top of the tram, Rod uses his wind powers to create a protective shield, allowing him to move normally despite the massive wind resistance. He runs towards the front of the car.

P., having realized it was a trap, killed the other people in his car. He begins to make his way back towards Mega Man, but hesitates. He turns back towards Sharp’s car, but stops short when he hears the footsteps on the roof of the tram. P. reloads his gun and fires through the roof, moving backwards towards Sharp’s car. Rod realizes he’s being shot at and begins running faster. He then uses his wind powers to jump two cars. In the front car, Sharp leans towards Jonze and says that they'll attack on three. Sharp counts to three on his fingers and then he and Jonze draw their pistols and quickly dispose of everyone in the car. The two then hear Rod land atop their car and P. bursts in, having just run out of ammo. P. tells Sharp and Jonze to head into the engine room before whoever is on the roof gets there first. Sharp and Jonze turn around and begin making their way to the engine room as P. gets ammo from the dead spies. Meanwhile, Mega Man and Summer Girl stand above their unconscious assailants. Summer tells Mega Man that they need to quickly get to the front before Rod is killed.

At the tram station, A.C., Wheeler, and Rudolph stand at the tram station as everyone else starts to clear out. The three look around and realize they’re about to be set up. A.C. runs over to the window and notices a group of Cosmonauts waiting outside. Rudolph tells them not to do anything stupid. Wheeler promises that he won't, giving A.C. a glare, prompting A.C. to roll his eyes. Back on the tram, Mega Man and Summer Girl meet up with P., who instinctively draws his gun on them. Once he realizes it's them, he lowers his gun and apologizes. Mega Man asks what's going on and P. informs them that they've been set up. Sharp and Jonze burst into the engine room and find two Cosmonauts in there. Sharp and Jonze then fire their guns at the Cosmonauts and duck down behind a half wall. The Cosmonauts hold up their arms to block the bullets from hitting their face. They put their visors down and start firing their laser rifles at Sharp and Jonze. Rod jumps down from the roof in between the engine room car and the first passenger car. He looks in the window and sees Mega Man, Summer Girl, and P. He breaks the door handle to prevent them from coming in. He then turns around and sees Sharp and Jonze trading shots with the Cosmonauts. Rod carefully leans his head out and checks his whereabouts. He realizes that they’re about a half-mile to the Hub. In between volley shots from the Cosmonauts, Sharp leaps out and tackles one of them. The other Cosmonaut turns his attention towards him and Jonze jumps on his back, causing him to lose his balance. Rod then bursts into the room. Over P.’s shoulder, Summer notices Rod in the engine room. She considers saying something, but with P. around, she decides against it, keeping her fingers crossed. Sharp manages to kick the Cosmonaut over his head and grabs his laser rifle. Sharp fires it into his suit, frying it and trapping him inside. Sharp fires at the other Cosmonaut, causing him to fall as well. Sharp notices Rod at the front and Jonze holds his gun to him. Sharp steps in and tells Jonze not to kill him as he's being paid to keep him alive. Jonze lowers his rifle and Rod uses his wind powers to knock Jonze to the ground and heads for the controls. Rod then does the same to Sharp, this time knocking him back into Jonze. Rod grabs the controls and stops the tram, sending Sharp and Jonze tumbling back, as well as knocking Mega Man, Summer Girl, and P. to the ground.

At the tram station, Cosmonauts begin pouring in from the streets as citizens begin vacating. Rudolph believes they should do something, but A.C. says that the three of them can't take on a group of Cosmonauts by themselves. From down the tracks, a large screeching sound is heard, getting their attention. Sharp and Jonze get up and begin to chase after Rod as the tram comes barreling to a stop. Rod pushes through Sharp and Jonze once again and exits the engine room, climbing back onto the roof as the Hub tram station comes into view. Sharp quickly grabs the brake and slams on it, causing the front wheels to lock up and Rod to be thrown from the roof, however he uses his wind powers to land behind the tram station, unscathed. Mega Man, Summer Girl, and P. regain their composure from their latest fall. The three then make their way towards the exit and jump out, landing on the tram station dock as the tram itself comes screeching to a halt. The Friends of P. regroup as they soon realize they've been surrounded by Cosmonauts, who begin firing on the station. A.C. informs P. that it's a set-up, but P. coldly says that he knows. Wheeler asks P. what they do and P. says that they need to get out of the tram station, but the only way out appears to be fighting. P. tells everyone to split up and head into the city and regroup once the fighting dies down, promising them they'll get their score one way or another. A.C. attempts to speak up, but P. cuts him off, initiating the attack. P. then bursts open the front doors, firing on the Cosmonauts with Wheeler and Jonze following close behind. Mega Man and Summer Girl exchange another look and Mega Man soon flies out after them, as he says that they'd get killed if he doesn't do something. Summer turns to A.C. for help, who leads the rest of the group, consisting of himself, Summer, Sharp, and Rudolph, out the back door.

Out in the Hub, Sharp says that their group is too big and that they need to break off, with A.C. in agreement. Summer then informs A.C. that Rod is there. A.C. then starts giving orders to the group, telling Summer to find Rod and get him out of there and tells her to be careful as Summer runs off. Sharp then tells A.C. that he knows a way out and A.C. says that they'll follow his lead. Elsewhere, Mega Man draws the Cosmonauts' fire away from P., Wheeler, and Jonze. The Cosmonauts turn their attention towards Mega Man as he takes down several of them as his suit starts to beep. P., Wheeler and Jonze watch in awe. Jonze asks what Mega Man is, but P. tells him to go back to the tram and get it moving, while he and Wheeler head into the city. Jonze heads back towards the tram while Wheeler and P. use Mega Man’s distraction to head further into the city. As Mega Man takes out the Cosmonauts, he feels a strong breeze as Rod flies up and tackles him into a building. Down on the streets, Summer notices this and flies up towards them.

Meanwhile, Sharp, A.C., and Rudolph head down an alley, while Rudolph asks where Sharp is taking them, but Sharp refuses to give a concrete answer. Rudolph then tells Sharp that he should leave, as he knows the Hub better than anybody, but Sharp cuts him off as a troop of Cosmonauts fly past them. A.C. then suggests they head into the sewers, which Rudolph seconds, prompting Sharp to roll his eyes and say that the sewer is probably rigged with traps. Rudolph bends over and starts undoing the manhole cover. Sharp looks around nervously and then pops his head out of the alleyway. He takes out his revolver and fires at the Cosmonauts, drawing their attention over to them. A.C. asks what Sharp is doing and he lies, saying that the Cosmonauts found them. Rudolph manages to get the manhole open and starts climbing down. A.C. says that they need to start getting down there, but Sharp says that there's no time and they need to run. Rudolph lands in the sewer, but realizes that he's now alone. Sharp and A.C. then run away, as A.C. asks about Rudolph, but Sharp says that he'll be fine as he got away. On the tram, Jonze bursts into the engine room and begins looking over the controls, but soon realizes that he doesn't know what he's doing and he'll have to figure it out trial and error.

In the Hub office building, Mega Man lands in a cubicle with a thud as Rod lands safely thanks to the wind. Mega Man gets up and asks Rod what he wants. Rod informs Mega Man that he needs him dead, along with P., A.C., and Wheeler so he can get his crew and status back. Summer interrupts and tells Rod that his job is to be a Season, not running a crew. Rod tells Summer that she's brainwashed and that's why she can't see how harmful the Friends of P. are. Summer throws this back at Rod, saying that the Cosmonauts he's working with are destroying the Hub. Summer then tells Mega Man to leave while she handles Rod. Mega Man asks if she's sure and she tells him to go. Mega Man begins flying towards the door, but Rod blasts him out of the way. Summer then grabs Rod by the throat and the two grapple each other, pushing each other into office furniture and file cabinets. In the next room, Mega Man gets up and flies out the window, taking on some more Cosmonauts. As he fights, he notices that the building where he’d had his fortune read is now gone.

In the streets, P. and Wheeler duck behind some dumpsters, as P. tells Wheeler to take a breath, as they're safe for now. Wheeler asks what happened on the tram and P. replies that he should have killed Rod when he had the chance. Suddenly, a Cosmonaut appears behind the dumpster and prepares to fire on them as Mega Man flies in and takes him out, his suit beeping all the while. Mega Man asks if they're okay, but P. asks if Mega Man is okay as his suit is beeping. Mega Man says that he'll be fine, as long as they get out of there. P. then apologizes for how the mission turned out. Mega Man looks out over the dumpsters and notices A.C. and Sharp a few alleys over. On the other side of the street, A.C. notices the others, pointing them out to Sharp. He looks over and makes eye contact with P. A.C. points out that Mega Man, A.C., and Wheeler are making their way back towards the tram, which Jonze has just gotten started. Another wave of Cosmonauts make their way towards the group as Mega Man's suit finally gives out, sending him to the ground. P. then tells Wheeler to get Mega Man to the tram immediately, but Mega Man tries to say that Summer is still out there. P. tells Mega Man that he'll find her and once again tells Wheeler that he needs to get him back to the tram. Wheeler slings Mega Man over his shoulder and the two head for the tram. P. turns around and slowly makes his way back towards the dumpsters.

In the office building, Summer and Rod continue grappling with each other, but clearly are getting nowhere. Rod asks Summer what she's doing as he remembers her saying that she was done with him, but she says that was before he brought in innocent citizens of Alphaville. Rod tells Summer to stop and the two momentarily stop fighting. Rod explains that Big Daddy C. is going to kill him if he doesn't get to her friends first. Summer tells Rod that she told him the Friends of C. would get him killed, but Rod says that he only needs Mega Man, P., A.C., and Wheeler and that if Summer turns them over, then it all ends. Summer calls Rod an idiot and says that Big Daddy C. isn't going to kill him, as he's far too valuable as a Season and Rod is only saying that because he doesn't want to lose his job. Rod explains that the job is all he has, as it allows him to have control over his life after Alphaville took that all away from him. Rod prepares to attack Summer, but she deflects him and grabs him by the throat, pushing him across the office and sending him down an elevator shaft. Having realized what she’d just done, she walks over and checks on him, but finds him still alive and groaning at the bottom. She attempts to go after him, but stops herself. She hears gunshots out the window and makes her way over.

In the streets, Sharp and A.C. start making their way towards the tram when the next wave of Cosmonauts come after them. A.C. then shoves Sharp out of the way and A.C. falls backwards down some stairs, injured, but safely hidden away. Sharp, meanwhile, gets back up and is unable to find A.C. He looks around and notices a building and heads inside, avoiding Cosmonaut fire, and running up the stairs as fast as he can. At the bottom of the small staircase, A.C. gets up and realizes that he’s bleeding. He also notices several Cosmonauts flying overhead which he avoids. Looking towards the tram station, he notices Mega Man and Wheeler almost at the tram, but Cosmonauts on their tail. Thinking back to Virginia and Cal, A.C. takes a stand and fires at the Cosmonauts, skillfully hitting two in the face, sending them falling from the sky to the ground. Summer hears A.C.’s voice and makes her way to the window, opening it up, but exposing herself to the Cosmonauts in the process, but watches to make sure A.C.’s okay. Sharp makes his way to the roof of a building and sets up his sniper rifle.

Meanwhile, Jonze prepares the tram for departure as Wheeler jumps on, setting Mega Man down near the door. Jonze asks him about Sharp, but Wheeler shakes his head, informing him that he's not back. Wheeler grabs the two unconscious Cosmonauts and throws them overboard, asking if the tram is working. Jonze replies that it should be and they'll get out of there as soon as P. gives the okay. Mega Man weakly sits in the back of the engine room, trying to regain consciousness. Inside the elevator shaft, Rod stands back up and angrily uses his wind powers to fly back up. Elsewhere, P. runs through the streets and witnesses the many Cosmonauts making their way to A.C.’s location. P. contemplates going over to him, looking somewhat guilty. He then looks up and notices Summer in the office building, looking straight at him. P. contemplates what to do, but he looks back at the tram and decides to head back there. Having witnessed this, Summer yells out the window at P., calling him a coward. A.C. continues to fight the Cosmonauts with deadly accuracy. He gets back up and realizes that he’s safe for now and watches P. make his way towards the tram. A.C. starts heading his way, but is stopped when he hears Summer yelling from the window, asking if he's okay. A.C. says that he's all right and tells her to come down from there. Summer, feeling the wind chill, turns around for a brief moment. Summer turns back towards the window and watches as A.C. falls to the ground, screaming in pain and clutching at his back. She looks back out the window and notices Sharp with his sniper rifle, taking aim at A.C. The muzzle of his gun still smoking. Sharp looks at Summer and runs away. A.C. lies down on the ground as blood pools out around him as he screams in pain.

Inside the office building, Summer yells at Sharp and then starts telling Rod that she'll do something, when he cuts her off saying she isn't going to do anything. Rod then grabs Summer by the hair and throws her behind him, using her wind powers to send her hurtling down the elevator shaft. On the streets, P. continues to run towards the tram as A.C.’s dying screams ring in his ears. He takes a deep breath. Summer weakly gets up, but she is greatly disoriented. She opens the emergency hatch on the elevator and falls through, slamming into the floor below. She weakly opens the door and begins crawling towards the front door to where A.C. is, but a fleet of Cosmonauts pass by and she is forced to hide by crawling downstairs to the basement. On the roof, Sharp then takes out his grappling hook and aims it at the tram station, using the same trick he used in Alphaville to quickly escape. Summer climbs down the stairs, falling down the last two. She crawls over to the corner and sits there crying, no one else in sight. P. climbs into the tram and passes Mega Man on the floor, intending to head straight for the controls. Mega Man asks what happened to Summer and A.C., but P. says that they didn't make it out and then tells Jonze to get them out of here immediately. Sharp then quickly gets onto the tram, with rifle in hand. P. asks if he's all right and Sharp says that he's fine. P. then tells Jonze to move faster and Jonze says that they'd accelerate faster without extra weight. P. walks towards the back of the engine room and shoots the hinges, separating the front car from the rest. They start to pick up speed as the tram speeds off, leaving the Hub, along with Summer and A.C., behind. Mega Man looks back at the Hub as it slowly disappears over the tram tracks.

Mega Man awakens by a campfire as Sharp, P., Wheeler, and Jonze stand around him. He once again asks about Summer, A.C., and Rudolph. Wheeler tells him that they didn't make it and P. explains that the Cosmonauts got them. He goes on to say that he's not sure if they're dead, but says that they need to go on and keep fighting. Mega Man says that fighting is what got them into the mess they're in now, but P. says that they can't sit back and watch as they are destroyed on all angles and if something is going to change, it's got to be with those that are left and says that he's got their backs, promising he'll lead them all down the right path. Mega Man looks up at P. as Wheeler, Sharp, and Jonze stand around him, making Mega Man look rather small and helpless compared to them. A.C. Montana watches as the tram pulls away from him, leaving him alone. He attempts to move, but once again screams in pain as Cosmonauts walk by him, simply ignoring him. A.C. then rests on the pavement, thinking of the times he spent around fires and sleeping in the wilderness with P. and Mega Man, as well as teaching Wheeler how to shoot a gun, as well as drinking and laughing with Virginia and Cal. He also remembers having a quiet meal and smiling with Summer and lastly, the original Friends of P., along with Summer, standing on a plateau looking into the sun. The sun begins to set as A.C. turns to face it, slowly bleeding out.

## Characters

* Mega Man
* Summer Girl
* Sharp
* P.
* A.C. Montana
* Wheeler
* Rod NaCervera
* Virginia (flashback)
* Cal (flashback)
* Rudolph
* Jesus
* William San Simeon
* Jonze
* Mr. Bellamy
* Big Daddy C. (first appearance, silhouette, no lines)

## Trivia

* The shadowy figure at the funeral home is revealed to be Big Daddy C.
* The song that plays at the end is "The Dying Cowboy" by Cisco Houston.