The Shadow Tycoon
Copyright© 2026 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 13
While William was observing Michael’s family, Michael himself had been called into his superior’s office.
The IRS office in Sabine City was not located in the same district as City Hall and the other municipal offices. It stood apart, in another area entirely, as if to signal to the Federal Tax Bureau Headquarters that they were not entangled with local authorities.
Or perhaps it was simply a matter of style.
Compared to the somewhat shabby municipal buildings, the IRS office could only be described as luxurious.
That was no surprise. Everyone knew the IRS was well-funded. Marble flooring, camel-hair wall hangings to display refinement, it was all there.
Inside the office, a large semi-enclosed desk framed the Director of the Sabine City IRS, a man in his fifties.
His hair was gray-white, his forehead and the corners of his eyes marked with lines, but overall he was well kept, at least compared to laborers in their forties.
He wore a carefully tailored suit, complete with a tie. His brows were drawn tight. Across the desk, Michael stood, uneasy with the atmosphere in the room.
“I’m troubled, Mike,” the Director said.
Mike, the name used by friends and superiors alike, made things sound more familiar, more like he belonged.
Michael scratched his head, none of his usual temper showing. He even looked a little confused. “I don’t understand, George.”
“No, you do,” George replied, letting out a sigh. His gaze dropped to the two files on his desk. “You understand, Mike. Fox has his lawyer gathering evidence that you abused your authority. And...”
He flipped through the report. “Some people have concerns about your recent operations. I thought you had it under control when I approved them. Clearly, I overestimated you.” He looked up again. “What do you think I should do?”
Michael’s irritation surfaced. “This is all because of that bastard William. I don’t know how he did it, but he slipped past us three times. I can guarantee you, George, that kid has a problem.”
“I saw it myself. Those newsboys brought five thousand dollars into that room. They left it there. But when I went in, there was nothing. He’s clever, and he’s prepared!”
George raised a hand, cutting him off. “Exactly. He’s clever. And now he’s prepared. You couldn’t catch him when he wasn’t prepared. Now that he is, you won’t catch him at all.”
The implication hit Michael immediately, cooling his temper. He looked at the Director with caution. “What are you saying?”
“Nothing in particular...” George leaned back in his chair, fingers interlaced behind his head. “Your failed operations have created a bad impression. Fox’s people are preparing to move against you. You’d better lie low for a while.”
Michael caught on at once. His voice rose. “You’re suspending me?”
“Suspending you?” George let out a short laugh. “No, no, you misunderstand. There’s a major operation in Currilan City. They’re short-handed and requested support.”
He shrugged. “You know we’ve always had a good relationship with them. I couldn’t refuse. You and your team will report to Currilan immediately and assist them. When you come back, then you can worry about William. Understood?”
“But things could change during that time. Let someone else go. I’ll stay. If we miss this window, it’ll be hard to catch William and Fox. We both know they’ve found a way to evade us. I—”
George’s expression hardened before Michael could finish. “This isn’t a request. It’s an order. Understood?”
They held each other’s gaze.
Michael realized he could not change the decision. He snapped back, “You’re going to regret this.”
George answered without hesitation. “The only thing I regret is not giving you something else to do sooner.”
As Michael stormed out, George let out a long breath.
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