When Michael looks around the office that Tuesday, the situation is bleak to say the least. It has been one week since the watermark disaster and things around the place are getting relatively back to normal, but he can sense that morale is low. Real low.

Like, Code Orange low.

Wait, is Code Orange low or high? Never mind, doesn't matter.

He is a true born leader in every sense of the word, but even this is out of his league. He needs inspiration. He needs to turn to the greats, the legends, the masters of the craft. Patton was an okay movie, but there was an awful lot of swearing and yelling and a lot of the people he was trying to lead died. So, probably not the greatest example. He needs something else.

The more he thinks about it, Hitler probably isn’t the best example either. He was an inspiring leader and all, but all that mess with the camps and the whole “losing the war” business didn’t really stack the points in his corner, right? Plus, he shot himself (in a bunker no less), so… not really wanting to follow those footsteps.

He watches Bad Boys II and thinks that maybe that could almost work, but that was sort of like a tandem leadership thing and he really doesn’t want a partner. Maybe James Bond? He’s not really much of a leader though, more like a… lone wolf. With a gun.

Presidents are kind of automatically ruled out. FDR was in that wheelchair and Kennedy got shot in the head. And Bush (both of them) is all over the map.

Not great. Not ideal.

But, as fate would have it, inspiration finds him through a television show. And not just any inspiration, the perfect inspiration.

“Meredith, I need to borrow your van. No questions asked,” he whispers, leaning against her desk, but not looking at her as he speaks. That’s how its done in the movies. He wonders idly if anyone in the office can read lips.

“Um… I have a question,” Meredith says.

“I said no ques—Fine. What is it?”

“Why?”

“No, you may not ask that as a question. But you may ask another question in its place.”

“Well, what question can I ask?”

“You may ask… what time I need to come pick it up.”

“But what if I need to leave my house tonight?”

“Oh really, Meredith?” he sighs. This is frustrating and not part of the plan. “Where you going to go? Hot date? Give me a break. I’ll be over at ten.”

He leaves her then because less questions are better than more questions. Although no questions are best, but that ship unfortunately already sailed.

When he gets home he fishes out a baseball cap, a track jacket, and a flashlight. And his guitar.

And the tambourine.

He makes a cryptic call to Dwight, informing him to have his walkie-talkies “at the ready” and sets off for Meredith’s.

“Will my Sebring by safe in the driveway?” he asks when she opens the door after three knocks. Three knocks? I mean, come on.

“Um, yeah, I think so… how long are you planning on--”

“Because this neighborhood looks a little… you know. Slums of Scranton? How do you spend your paycheck anyway?” he continues, grabbing the keys from her. “See you at dawn!”

“Dawn? Michael! Wait!” she’s calling after him, but he’s already in the driver’s seat and readjusting the mirrors.

There will be no turning back now.

He un-crumples the stack of printed out MapQuest directions from his pocket, spreading them out against the steering wheel as he backs out of the driveway.

First stop: Ryan.