Chapter 57: The Complexity of Human Nature Lies in Its Contradictions

If George had merely been unaware that Johnson intended to introduce him to a nobody, then Johnson’s current expression—as he sat beside Lynch—looked like he had just eaten feces.

Disgusted, nauseated, regretful, irritable for reasons even he couldn’t explain, and filled with disdain.

Logically, how could the director of a tax bureau introduce important connections to someone like Lynch—a minor figure? Especially after Lynch had just punched him and shaken the entire tax system from top to bottom.

Particularly Michael. Rumors had already begun to circulate from the state office the night before: due to mounting public pressure, the higher-ups were considering throwing Michael under the bus.

In a conference call, the state’s highest official repeatedly emphasized that the central government wasn’t the kind to abandon subordinates when trouble arose. They never had, and they prided themselves on that.

The Federal Tax Bureau, which often engaged in direct conflict, even with military support, didn’t know the meaning of surrender. But if the lower ranks were too dirty to be cleaned up even by their superiors, they couldn’t blame the top brass for being ruthless.

Johnson had received subtle signals from above—get Lynch convicted of a crime, fast. That suggestion had come directly from Sabin City’s tax bureau, and the person behind it was Michael.

Johnson did suspect Lynch might not be entirely clean, but based on all evidence so far, Lynch had committed no crimes. His company’s books were in order. Even when they raided his warehouse during his detainment, they found nothing suspicious.

Public outrage stemmed largely from the fact that Lynch was clearly innocent. Add in the prior violent enforcement incidents—mostly caused by the Bureau of Investigation—and some external agitation, and things escalated to where they are now.

If Lynch could be branded a criminal, the public would no longer empathize. Though Baylor Federation claimed to be a nation of human rights, its people clearly didn’t think criminals deserved any.

Public sentiment dictates the course of events. No matter how stupid the masses may be, they won’t seek justice for a criminal.

But after a full week, even with Sabin’s tax bureau and the Federal Investigation Bureau—the two most powerful federal institutions—working together, they still couldn’t pin a single crime on Lynch.

This left the upper ranks of the tax bureau humiliated. If the lower ranks couldn’t handle something this simple, what else could they be trusted with?

Of course, it wasn’t entirely their fault. The media spotlight was so intense that even a minor error during the process of framing Lynch could backfire and make matters worse.

So, in the conference call, they concluded: if you can’t save Michael, abandon him. In any case, both the Sabin tax bureau and Michael must bear some responsibility.

First, the bureau was incompetent. Second, Michael had serious personal issues—an explosive temper, frequent emotional outbursts, lashing out at colleagues and subordinates alike.

The public uproar was partly his fault. With zero evidence, he declared Lynch a suspect and physically assaulted him multiple times, leading to a PR disaster. Now he had to pay for it.

The state office also emphasized that the Sabin bureau must now work to soothe Lynch—the victim. If they couldn’t bring him down, they needed to stand beside him and salvage some credibility.

Dignity?

Sorry, the Federal Tax Bureau is a key federal institution. Personal pride means nothing.

Meanwhile, the higher-ups had already begun pushing a new narrative, which happened to align perfectly with what Lynch had previously discussed with Johnson at the barbecue restaurant.

If the mid-to-upper levels had decided to make Michael the scapegoat, then they would tailor the fall perfectly for him—airtight, inescapable. If the lower ranks couldn’t even assist in this, then the entire leadership of the Sabin tax bureau would be purged.

Things had progressed to a point where Johnson could no longer influence the outcome. All he could do was cooperate. He had called Lynch that morning, requesting that he help shape public opinion in support of the bureau’s next moves.

He also hinted that he had thought over what they discussed at the barbecue. His reasoning was instinctive self-interest. Even if he hadn’t led events to this point, since the results benefited him, he would blur the lines regarding his own involvement.

It was like Michael getting excited upon hearing about a promotion opportunity. If he succeeded, Johnson would undoubtedly say he helped too.

When you can profit without risking your own interests, why refuse?

During that call, Lynch mentioned he wanted to meet the head of a bank’s credit department—any bank would do.

This was the price for his cooperation with the bureau’s public strategy. In his own words:

“My schedule is packed lately. I may not be available for media interviews. If there’s a hiccup in messaging, please understand.”