After the alien is released, Michael now believes Eric, but it leaves before Janet can be convinced. Eric's behavior towards the alien changes after he fixes all of the damage he caused to the house, and leaves behind several newspaper clippings that Eric believes are an attempt to communicate. FBI agents Wickett and Zimmerman, who had been present when the four aliens escaped from the base, have tracked down the youngest one to the Cruise residence. The two are immediately recognized by Eric and Michael. Eric is forced to take the alien, whom he has now named MAC (short for "Mysterious Alien Creature"), to a birthday party at a local McDonald's where Debbie's older sister, Courtney, works. Wickett and Zimmerman follow, but MAC, now disguised in a teddy bear suit, starts a dance number as a distraction and escapes with Eric on his wheelchair. After Wickett and Zimmerman chase them through a nearby neighborhood and shopping mall with additional help, they are rescued by Michael. Janet, having witnessed the chase while in the mall, catches up to the agents and inadvertently learns from Wickett that MAC is indeed real. Eric, Michael, Debbie and Courtney decide to help reunite MAC with the other three aliens, revealed to be his family. With MAC's help, they travel towards the outskirts of Palmdale and manage to find them in an abandoned mine. While stopping at a gas station, they accidentally alert security. After MAC's father steals a gun from a security guard, the police arrive and a shootout takes place in the parking lot, which ends with an explosion destroying the gas station and Eric being killed by a stray bullet. Once Wickett, Zimmerman and Janet arrive by helicopter, MAC and his family use their powers to bring Eric back to life. For saving Eric's life, MAC and his family are granted American citizenship with the Cruise family and their neighbors, as well as Wickett and Zimmerman, in attendance at the ceremony. The film ends with MAC's father driving his family, along with the kids who helped them, down a highway. In addition, Jennifer Aniston and Nikki Cox appear as uncredited background extras. Producer R. J. Louis had previously worked on advertising campaigns with McDonald's and had an association with their charitable arm Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). He explained that at the time Ronald McDonald was "even more [well-known] than Santa Claus", but that E.T. was close behind and thus felt that the next "generation" needed an "E.T." of their own.