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2017 a.t.b., 7:00 a.m., Ashford Academy, student government clubhouse, Lamperouge residence. Lelouch and Nunnally were having breakfast together, in their dining room. Lelouch had been learning about Nunnally's fascination with Alistair and their already strong bond.

Lelouch: Wait, wait, wait. He has military ranks?
Nunnally: Well, the military in America felt like they needed to refer to him by rank. In the Army, he's a Major. In the Marines and Navy, he's a Captain.
Lelouch: So, that must be part of where he gets the money from. So, you like Alistair, Nunnally?
Nunnally: Of course! I feel like I should be his best friend.
Lelouch: (pauses) Neat. (thinking) Well, at least I know that Alistair can take care of Nunnally, when he's around. Wait a minute, he has high officer ranks at 16? That's such bullshit! Unless that's also where the skills come from. Yeah, that's got to be it.
Nunnally: So, Lelouch...
Lelouch: (out loud) Yeah, Nunnally?
Nunnally: Is it true that you have a job?
Lelouch: Well...yeah. It beats being bored, doesn't it?
Nunnally: It's good to have something to do. Just make sure you tell someone that you're heading there. Okay?
Lelouch: Yeah. I'm sorry for worrying you, like that.
Nunnally: Do you...trust Alistair, Lelouch?
Lelouch: What do you mean?
Nunnally: He lives to help people...and he's killed to protect others, not just himself. Do you believe he's a good person? Because I do.
Lelouch: Yeah! Yeah, I trust him. He's good, I know it.
Nunnally: That's good to hear. (thinking) He needs all the support he can get. He's suffered worse than I have. His mom must have been so pretty. Losing both of his parents, right in front of him, losing an arm and a leg, forced into being an orphan. Not even I could live with that. (out loud) Have you spoken to him, today?
Lelouch: Yeah. He said he was heading off to somewhere, get the lay of the land.
Nunnally: Oh, right. He doesn't know much about Tokyo, nowadays. He said that he hasn't been here in 12 years, so he has to get to know the place.
Lelouch: True.

Earlier, near Alistair's room. Lelouch was standing outside Alistair's door, wanting to speak to him.

Lelouch: Hey, Alistair! You in?
Alistair: (behind door) Making toast!
Lelouch: (quietly) I'll just...wait for him.

Lelouch waited outside Alistair's door and heard a dinging noise from Alistair's room.

Alistair: Buttering toast!
Lelouch: (thinking) My God, he is a comedian. How long does it take him to eat breakfast, anyway? (pauses) I'm actually bored. (sighs) The battles in Shinjuku and Saitama, rescuing Suzaku... All of that was...fun. I need action. Screw it, putting the team together, today. I still have Ohgi's number, so I should call him and-...

Immediately, Alistair's door opened and Alistair stood in the doorway, his mouth carrying toast.

Alistair: (with mouth full) What's up, Lelouch?
Lelouch: (out loud) Hey. I was just wondering what you were up to, today.
Alistair: Well...(takes toast from mouth, eating part of it)...I'm going to take an enthusiastic walk through Tokyo.
Lelouch: Okay...
Alistair: Why? You need something?
Lelouch: I was just wondering. No harm in asking, right?
Alistair: Yeah. (takes a bite of toast)
Lelouch: Wait, you have a toaster?
Alistair: Yeah. What, you don't have one?
Lelouch: No, we do not.
Alistair: I think there's a spare, somewhere in here. I can give you that one.
Lelouch: Drop it by, whenever you can.
Alistair: Not now?
Lelouch: Gotta tell Nunnally about what you're doing.
Alistair: True enough. Tell her that I'll be back by 3:00.
Lelouch: Thanks. I'll tell her. See you.

Present time, Shinjuku, residential warehouse. The front gate opened and Alistair stepped inside. All of the people residing in the warehouse looked in amazement, as their friendly neighborhood hero approached the center of the warehouse.

Alistair: So, how are you guys, today?
Gruff Voice: It's good to see you again, my friend.

Alistair looked to where the voice was coming from, and saw James Sampson and two others accompanying him.

Alistair: James!? The hell are you doin' here, buddy?
James: Well, you clearly saved my ass from corrupt cops and I had nowhere else to go. These two are Ichika and Taiga.
Ichika: Yo!
Taiga: Good to meet you.
Alistair: Likewise. (to James) Corrupt cops, huh? I suppose you want to join the Tokyo Mavericks, until you can get your position back, right?
James: Tokyo Mavericks?
Alistair: I'll explain, at a better position. (to warehouse residents) All those who wish to join the Tokyo Mavericks, follow me! The rest, stay here! Hopefully, you'll have better living conditions, soon!

Meanwhile, at the Britannian Government Bureau building, Cornelia sat in her office, still shocked by her loss at Saitama.

Cornelia: (thinking) Okay, recap. You took over the Saitama Ghetto to lure out Zero. It worked. Zero was following his same patterns from Shinjuku and I got a step ahead of him, wiping out his forces in the process. On Guilford's side, both of the Gloucesters accompanying his were destroyed and he was launched and treated like a bitch. I go all-out, then all of my forces get completely screwed over. Next, Darlton turns into a bitch, I talk to the dangerous, yet highly entertaining, third party, he shoots at my Gloucester's lance, making a vertical hole in it, and I piss myself. Really, I should have went to the bathroom, before leaving. Can't believe I have to wait until the seat is cleaned. Okay, Cornelia. Think. Who could this third party be? Other than the Japan Liberation Front and Zero, who has the audacity and ability to fight an empire that controls over 1/3 of the world? (pauses) Nobody. Dammit! I'm in the dark, here!

It was then that there was a knock on Cornelia's door. The voice behind the door belonged to her younger sister.

Euphemia: (behind door) Viceroy? May I enter?
Cornelia: (out loud) Come in.

Euphemia entered Cornelia's office and approached her sister's desk.

Euphemia: I heard about what happened in Saitama.
Cornelia: Good thing we're in private, huh?
Euphemia: So...you really pissed yourself?
Cornelia: Oh, yeah. True story.
Euphemia: I'm sorry.
Cornelia: Don't be. Darlton and Guilford were scared shitless, too. We had the advantage and we still got our asses kicked.
Euphemia: But, there was a third party involved?
Cornelia: Don't even know who the guy is, let alone where he came from. He stole a Sutherland prototype, made the Pureblood faction his bitch and got away.
Euphemia: The Purebloods? Suzaku was saving one of its members from some sort of coup d'état, when I met him. Jeremiah, I think his name was?
Cornelia: They were reserve forces, positioned on the back lines. They met the third party, Orange got his ass kicked by a Superman punch and the rest just booked. To be honest, I would, too.
Euphemia: And here I thought you would go down fighting.
Cornelia: Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. That point? It was folding time.
Euphemia: No, I mean that you live to fight people. Fighting's your life. Like a... What's the term for that, again?
Cornelia: Blood Knight.
Euphemia: That's what the third party called you, right?
Cornelia: Upon my arrival to Area 11, the headlines should have read: "Blood Knight Cornelia, looking for a fight. Ever still seeking the lead of might."
Euphemia: Did you just make that up?
Cornelia: I thought of it, but it feels like someone else made that up. I need to relax more.
Euphemia: You have those movies that you love so much, right? Why don't you watch those?
Cornelia: (whining) I hate watching those movies alone.
Euphemia: There hasn't been much activity since you were at Saitama. Maybe you can take a day off?
Cornelia: (excited, smiling) I love the way you think, Euphie.
Euphemia: Please don't bear hug me, again.
Cornelia: Oh, come on! Please?
Euphemia: Out of the question.
Cornelia: (sultry tone) Pretty please?
Euphemia: What do you think you're doing?
Cornelia: (normal tone) Fair point. Why did I try to seduce my sister?
Euphemia: "Confusion is a bitch"? Is that how it works?
Cornelia: Yeah, you got it right. I've yet to see Top Gun. Wanna watch it with me?
Euphemia: I've got nothing better to do.
Cornelia: Don't worry. It's got Tom Cruise in it.
Euphemia: Who?
Cornelia: Really?! Mission: Impossible? Far and Away? Edge of Tomorrow? Live, die, repeat!
Euphemia: I know nothing about the movies you've seen.
Cornelia: Son of a...! I will educate you, now! You're coming with me and we are watching Top Gun!
Euphemia: If you say so.
Cornelia: You will love it, damn you!

At Alistair's warehouse hideout, Alistair and his new recruits arrived and entered the warehouse. The recruits were surprised to find the S-850 in the warehouse.

Alistair: Don't worry. It's mine.
Ichika: How'd you manage to get that!?
Alistair: They lent it to me. I own it.
Taiga: It's not easy to get a Knightmare from the military.
Alistair: They're not a military. They're anarchists. Big difference.
James: Preaching to the choir, Alistair. So, would you care to explain the "Tokyo Mavericks," for us?
Alistair: Essentially, you'll be like me. You're going to become mercenary benefactors.
Random Recruit A: Benefactors?
Random Recruit B: What, we're gonna help people?
Random Recruit C: Britannians, too? Shit, I don't wanna help them.
Alistair: I'm actually quite popular amongst criminals, murderers and various evil factions around the world.
James: Britannia included?
Alistair: You would know me best as the "Son of Liberty."
James: (surprised) Oh, shit. You?! The Son of Liberty is fighting Britannia?!
Ichika: What's this "Son of Liberty" thing about?
James: Alistair Wake, the Son of Liberty, is known as the greatest hero the world has ever known. He freed his own country from a sociopathic bastard named Samuel Hawking.
Taiga: Oh. That asshole.
Ichika: A guy like him? Running a country? He's evil as shit. How did he even get elected?
Alistair: One of life's greatest mysteries.
Random Recruit A: So... This Hawking guy was evil?
Alistair: We're talking about a guy who classified video footage of 9/11 as porn. Calling him evil would be a compliment. Hell, when Britannia attacked America, he had one of the biggest erections he ever had.
Random Recruit A: What the...?
Random Recruit B: In short, he was a shitstain on the face of humanity.
Alistair: Fancy way of putting it.
James: So, you want to make us mercenary benefactors, like you?
Alistair: Well, being the only mercenary benefactor in the world kinda sucks. I can handle being the original, but not the only one.
James: Fair enough.
Taiga: What, exactly, can we do? We're just a ragtag team, going up against an empire bent on world domination.
Alistair: With me at the helm, we can easily take down an anarchic monarchy.
Ichika: We have no guns, no Knightmares, nothing.
Alistair: Well, that's the point of teaching, right?
Familiar Voice: So... You're saying that you'll acquire the things we need and teach us about them?
Alistair: Exactly. (pauses) Wait, who said that?

Out from the crowd of recruits, a man with brown hair and a red headband approached Alistair. It was the man he helped, on his first day in Japan: Shinichiro Tamaki.

Tamaki: That, uh...would be me.
Alistair: Tamaki?!
Tamaki: Yeah, I kinda snuck into the crowd, when I recognized you.
Random Recruit C: Hey, aren't you part of a resistance group?
Alistair: Double the jobs, double the pay, huh? I like the way you think. Though, this sort of thing can leave you a bit tired. Still okay with it?
Tamaki: Yeah. You helped me out and you want to save Japan. Now, it's my turn to help you.
Alistair: You're gonna be such a badass.
James: It's good to have you, Tamaki. I'm Police Major James Sampson.
Tamaki: A cop? Why are you here?
Alistair: Corrupt five-oh want him dead.
Tamaki: Whoa.
Ichika: Ichika Date. Good to see you.
Taiga: Taiga Sunohara. Welcome aboard.
James: To get back on topic, how are we going to be trained without the necessary equipment?
Alistair: Oh, I was just letting you know where this place was. I'll get the equipment, you just needed to know where to show up.

At that point, someone's cellphone started ringing. Tamaki took out his cellphone and answered the call.

Tamaki: Hello? (pauses) Wait, what? (pauses) Now? Dammit, I... (pauses, then sighs) Alright. (closes phone)
Alistair: What's up, man?
Tamaki: I've gotta go. Some friends wanna see me.
Alistair: Okay, man. Just remember where this place is, okay?
Tamaki: Yeah. See ya.

Tamaki ran out of the warehouse, leaving the group alone.

James: So, how will you get the equipment?
Alistair: Simple. Raid an armory or two.
James: What makes you think you can even enter an armory, let alone steal its contents?
Alistair: I've stolen from Civility and the Enclave for years. You do the math.
James: Right. And you've killed people and abominations that were thought to be un-killable.
Alistair: So... Where should I start?

Meanwhile, at a Britannian military barrack, Darlton and Guilford were talking about the hooded man that they encountered in Saitama.

Darlton: You couldn't even see his face, beyond that hood?
Guilford: Negative. I don't even know how he does these things. He's like a...physical god, or something.
Darlton: I think "superhuman" would be a better term.
Guilford: He launched a Knightmare into the air! With his right leg!
Darlton: Well, he caught my Gloucester's lance with his left hand, then kicked me with his right leg.
Guilford: I can't believe that kick made a big dent in my Gloucester.
Darlton: Wait, a dent?
Guilford: Yeah. He treated my Gloucester like a... Like a...
Darlton: Like a football?
Guilford: A football? What's that?
Darlton: Oh. You must not have heard about America.
Guilford: America?
Darlton: A country far to the west of the E.U. We tried to take over, about 200 years ago, but failed. It's a pretty nice place, away from all the fighting. I'm thinking of retiring there.
Guilford: America... America...
Darlton: Yeah. That's its name.
Guilford: I've heard it, before.
Darlton: Where from?
Guilford: Princess Cornelia.
Darlton: Oh, really?
Guilford: She went there... Dammit. I can't remember.
Darlton: Been too long?
Guilford: 10 years is a long time. I'll look it up. (opens laptop)
Darlton: Yeah. You could learn some history about that place, too. We got beat by a landslide, trying to take over.
Guilford: (surprised) Oh, shit.
Darlton: What?
Guilford: Take a look at this.
Darlton: (walks towards Guilford) What is so damn-? (looks at laptop) What the hell?! Wait, wait, wait. We killed that many people?!
Guilford: Not even I knew about this.
Darlton: They didn't even put up a fight! We just...slaughtered 50,00 people!?
Guilford: Says here that they were the result of the first testing of the Knightmares.
Darlton: No. No, no. That is... That is not right. Who the hell thought that testing Knightmares out on defenseless civilians was okay!?
Guilford: Someone named "Samuel Hawking" did.
Darlton: Well, then this Hawking guy is a shitstain. Okay. Maybe we can give America back to the rightful people, then everything should be okay.
Guilford: Too late. America's not our territory.
Darlton: What?
Guilford: It belongs to Hawking, now.
Darlton: Bullshit!
Guilford: It's true. It's chaos, over there. Hawking's got the country under lock and key. He's utilizing a "private military company" and his own army to bring hell to America.
Darlton: Do these factions have names?
Guilford: According to this, the military company is called "Civility Enforcement, LLC," comprised entirely of cyborgs.
Darlton: Cyborgs? I thought that cyborgs were purely fictional?
Guilford: Not by Civility's standards.
Darlton: And Hawking's army?
Guilford: "The Enclave of the Confederate States of America," they're called. Long name, I'll give them that much.
Darlton: Wait, the Confederacy?!
Guilford: You know something?
Darlton: Well, the Confederate States were "states in rebellion." They started after South Carolina seceded from the Federal Union, due to a dislike of new policies, including the banning of slavery. This brought about the Civil War: countrymen killing countrymen. It was a god damn nightmare.
Guilford: So, this "Enclave" is comprised of remnants of the Confederacy?
Darlton: I'm thinking so. (pauses) I just realized something.
Guilford: What's that?
Darlton: We've never hung out, like this. Not once.
Guilford: That's... That's true.
Darlton: I think that ass-kicking was just what we needed.
Guilford: At least we do share something: a hatred for Samuel Hawking.
Darlton: God damn sociopath.
Guilford: What even is that hairstyle, anyway?
Darlton: It's called a mullet.
Guilford: That's a mullet? I've heard rumors, but... That looks evil.
Darlton: Yeah. Aren't we that way, too?
Guilford: (sighs) Great. We need to find a way to redeem ourselves.
Darlton: Including the viceroy?
Guilford: I...don't really know.