After the ads, Michael is already so disillusioned with Charles that he's on the speakerphone with Wallace, trying to make a case for just leaving the regional VP job open. "I think I thrive under a lack of accountability," he claims. Wallace tells Michael to give Charles a chance, and from a spot creepily close to Michael's shoulder, Dwight suddenly appears to remind Michael to ask about the party. Michael asks Wallace if he's coming, and Wallace pretends he'll try. "No, the other thing," Dwight corrects. Michael asks, "If we hire Cirque du Soleil as salaried employees, will that help us with the year-end tax stuff?" There's such a long pause that they think Wallace hung up, but finally he sighs, "No." Wow, they could have sold another commercial in that pause right there.

In the conference room where Charles is set up for the day, Michael's trying to "get to know" Charles, but really only getting on his nerves. He does learn that Charles comes to them from the steel industry, which obviously would be a deal-breaker if it were up to Michael. Then he moves on to his main point: how to manage Michael Scott, which is to not manage him at all. "Jan would mostly come by when she was super horny, and Ryan would come by to visit his parents and do laundry, so... are we clear?" They are not, so Charles clarifies it. Clearly.

Michael tries to get Wallace on the phone again and gets nowhere, so Dwight tries to demonstrate how to charm someone. Which he does by calling back as "Michael Scotch" and claiming to have Wallace's son in the trunk of his car. Michael hangs up in a panic, then calls back and assures the receptionist that Michael Scotch will return Wallace's son safely. Whew, crisis averted. Michael begs to talk to Wallace some more, and finally the receptionist transfers him to... Charles's cell phone. Michael freezes, while Charles asks the silent line who it is. Finally Michael blurts, "I was never given a name!" and hangs up, Whew, crisis averted again.

Jim is very conscious of Charles staring at him through the conference room window while he works. So is Dwight. However, they have very different reactions to the situation.