.

An hour later, Rhett turns to show something to Link and finds him rubbing his eyes, clearly exhausted. He puts down the papers that were on his lap and stretches his arms up: "Let's take a break."

Links stares at the stacks of paper all around him and sighs.. this will probably take weeks to sort through..

Rhett stands to stretch his aching back while Stevie leans back to close her eyes for a few seconds. Link takes out his phone to see if the boys sent any more jokes.. his screen refuses to turn on as he taps it, clicks the side button and shakes it..

A few seconds later, a bright white text appears on the black screen: "How is your first day back to work, Charles?"

Link's breath hitches..

Gabby notices his fearful response and takes out the clone phone..

More text appears on the screen: "Agent G, I appreciate your efforts in keeping our angel safe. Welcome to the ranks of guardians."

She looks up and sees Link staring at her with wide eyes. Rhett notices them looking at each other and sits back next to Link: "What?"

Link felt a cold chill run through his body and slowly tilted the phone so Rhett could read the texts.

It pings and the screen returns to black as more text reveals itself: "You don't have to be afraid of me, my Angel."

Link whispers: "You're stalking me. How am I supposed to feel?"

The screen pings once more: "I'm not stalking you, I'm protecting you."

Link flinches, dropping the phone on the floor and looking fearfully at Gabby as he mouths: 'He can hear me?'

Eponym's voice echoes between the two cloned phones: "Yes, my Angel. I can hear and see you. How else would I be able to protect our national treasure."

Link grabs Rhett's arm, looking desperately at him.

Eponym continues: "I got a gift for you."

Link swallows hard when Gabby motions for him to keep the stalker on the phone as they try to trace it: "Why?"

Eponym laughs: "I didn't know that I needed a reason to give you gifts but if you must have one then.. let's consider it a "welcome back to work" gift."

Link rubs his forehead with shaky hands: "Ok.."

Eponym: "Look under your desk."

Gabby and two of her agents rushed to check the desk and found a big white box there. She gently picks it up and places it on the table in front of Link after one of the agents clear the papers from it.

Gabby did an extensive study on Eponym's profile. She knew he was not the violent type so she wasn't worried about the content of the box.

Link waits for her to gently open it and looks inside: "You bought me clothes?"

Eponym: "Not any clothes.. an angle like you deserves only the best.."

Gabby takes out the content of the box. It looks like an off white long sleeves light hoodie, tight skinny pants and a long wool-like sleeveless brown blazer. At the bottom were off white boots with brown soles. They all had an odd brand on them that Link did not recognize.

Link whispers in frustration: "I don't understand. Why would you buy me random clothes?"

Eponym laughs once more: "You sound so cute when you're frustrated."

Link groans loudly and lays his head back on the coach. Eponym: "It's an outfit that will fit you, Charles. I don't want you to keep hiding under layers of clothes. I've seen older videos of you flaunting your body but you don't do that anymore. You're beautiful.."

Link says in a loud voice: "Don't call me beautiful!"

Eponym doesn't skip a beat: "Handsome. Better?"

Link glares are the phone that's still on the floor: "No."

Eponym laughs: "Your honesty is like a catnip to me."

Link throws his hands in the air, looking at the people around him: "I don't.. I don't even know how to respond to that.."

Eponym: "I would love it if you wear this in your first GMM video back."

Link shakes his head.

Eponym: "Please."

Link covers his face, still shaking his head.

Eponym: "I'll grant you one wish for it.. anything you want."

Link: "Can you stop stalking me?"

Eponym: "Anything you want other than that.."

Link sighs loudly, staring at the phone and wishing he was not forced to prolong this stupid conversation with this stupid person. A thought crossed his mind and he looked up to see Gabby's frustration at not being able to trace the call and whispers before he loses his courage: "Tell me your real name?"

Eponym hums: "I didn't expect that wish.."

Link sits up when Gabby nods her approval: "You keep calling me by my first name. The least you can do is tell me yours."

Eponym stays silent for a few seconds then says: "I can't deny an angel's request. My name is Michael. No one but you is allowed to call me by my name."

Link huffs: "That's a little on the nose, don't you think."

Eponym: "It seems more like destiny."

Link slowly reaches for the clothes given to him and whispers: "I have to wear this now.."

Eponym: "That's the deal. Don't look so solemn. I promise you, you will love it."

The phone beeps one last time and the screen returns to normal. The room was bathed in silence as Gabby curses in a low voice.

Rhett: "let me guess: You couldn't trace the bastard?"

She looks sadly at him while shaking her head.

Link looks at her: "Why is he sending me stuff? He never lingers with report subjects after the fact!"

Gabby sits on the ground in front of the table: "That's why I'm here. He's fixated on you and we need to catch him."

Link huffs again: "I got you a name. Is that enough to narrow the search?"

Gabby: "There are millions of Michaels around the world. Unfortunately, it's not enough but it's a start."

Rhett groans: "What a coward.."

Stevie reaches over to examine the clothes then gasps.

Rhett looks at her: "What?"

She pulls the clothes close to examine them more thoroughly: "This can't be real!"

Link sighs loudly: "What now?"

Gabby crosses her arms, knowing exactly what Stevie is flabbergasted about: "This is Nosto. A line of clothing brand made by one man that hand weaves the fabric from a rare type of organic cotton and uses rare materials to make shoes and coats. His attention to details is uncanny and he produces only one outfit a year."

Rhett and Link both stare at her like she was talking nonsense. She gestures at the box on the table and says: "This costs around $570,000."

Rhett's eyes widened: "WHAT?"

Link puts his hands up, physically rejecting what she said: "WHAT THE CRAP?"

Stevie slowly takes her hands off of it: "Shit! Why would he give this to Link?"

Gabby stares at the box like it personally offended her: "I don't know. But it's a clue worth tracing."

Link pulls his feet up and scoots away from the table and its content: "He wants me to wear a half a million dollar outfit for a YouTube video? Why?"

Gabby: "Power play. He's marking his territory.."

Rhett felt his blood boil: "Screw him! You're not wearing that!"

Link stares at the gift for a while as Stevie argues with Rhett over it. He puts his hand up to stop them after a few minutes and says: "I'm wearing it."

Rhett slams his hand on the table in anger: "Damn it, Neal! He can't control us like that! We can't let him!"

Link smiles at Rhett: "I promised to wear it.. but I didn't promise anything else.."

Rhett frowns: "What does that mean?"

Link smirks: "I have an idea.. you will like it. Trust me."

.

Later that day, the dreaded moment Link wasn't looking forward to finally came. He sat in his usual chair, next to Rhett at the head of the table with all the Mythical Crew and interns present. It was awkward as hell. He didn't want to be here now that he knew how these people truly felt about him. Only a handful were spared in the Eponym report and that somehow made him feel a little bit better. Chase, Stevie, Eddy and David were on his good side, while the rest.. He didn't know how to feel about them.

Ellie coughs to break the stale atmosphere and says nervously: "Link, I know that no matter how many times we apologize for the mean, uncalled for things we said.. It will not erase our inappropriate behavior.."

Link puts his hand up to stop her: "I've said it before, Ellie. I don't like apologies that are forced. The only thing you are all sorry about is that you were caught. So spare me the empty gestures. If this was a contained incident, I would've let it slide. Even though it hurts that I think of you all as family and all you see is an obnoxious boss, it's fine. We don't need to dissect it. I can take a hint. I will keep our relationship professional..

But the whole world knows and we have to address it."

The guilty crew shifted in their seats, expecting the blunt dismissal from Link but not happy about it. Chase speaks up to diffuse the situation: "Link, we're so happy to have you back in the office. I know that I speak for everyone here when I say, we are rooting for you. This might sound weird, but Eponym's report has marked a shift in our business and we will count this as a blessing."

Link smiles at him. Chase is such a strong person with a gentle demeanor. Chase continues: "Stevie and I sat with the crew and questioned their loyalty to the brand. Rhett expressed his strong opinion about what we should do to them but we went with your wishes and gave them a chance to fix what they broke."

Link glares at the crew: "You refused to quit and Rhett tells me that you pitched him an idea to make amends. Let's hear it.."

Stevie folds her arms, smirking: "You're going to love it.."

.