The Shadow Tycoon
Copyright© 2026 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 68: The First Voice Steps Forward
On William’s side, the transformation of Michael’s case began to take shape.
The first person to step forward was not William, nor Michael, nor even Director Johnson.
It was Michael’s longtime partner.
The man had worked alongside Michael for twelve or thirteen years and was himself the deputy team leader of the Sabine City IRS Investigation Unit. In the eyes of many, the two had always been close brothers-in-arms, men who shared almost everything with each other.
No one had expected him to be the first to come forward and reveal “details” the media had not previously uncovered.
According to the partner’s account, the conflict between Michael and William had begun with an accidental “encounter.”
“At the time, Michael and I were walking down the street. William was pushing a cart full of dirty laundry along the sidewalk. Michael pointed at him and said to me, ‘Hey, look at that kid. Let’s mess with him.’”
The partner wore an expression of sorrow and regret in front of the cameras.
“I thought he was joking. Clearly, he wasn’t. He dragged me along and, without any cause, without a warrant, without an arrest order, without any legal authorization whatsoever, he assaulted Mr. Carter.”
“He told me to search the cart and see if I could find anything to charge Mr. Carter with. Meanwhile, he pulled Mr. Carter into an alley and beat him there...”
The reporters immediately erupted in shock.
They could hardly imagine what sort of hatred would drive a grown man to treat a young man so brutally.
One reporter could not help but stand up.
“Anonymous partner, did Michael and William know each other before this? Did they have some kind of grudge?”
The partner shook his head.
“They did not know each other. As for whether there was some personal grudge, I don’t know. Maybe only Michael knows the answer to that...”
He then continued describing Michael’s “abuses,” including incidents involving threats, assaults on news bosses, and beatings severe enough to leave people coughing blood.
Stories like these only reinforced the image of Michael as a violent and dangerous Special Agent.
The media became increasingly convinced that Michael was the problem, a man who had grown accustomed to solving everything with force and intimidation, even when dealing with ordinary, innocent citizens.
Soon afterward, Director Johnson appeared publicly as well.
He acknowledged his own failures.
He admitted that he had always believed Michael would eventually change and that this belief had led him to tolerate Michael’s behavior for far too long. He stated that he bore responsibility for what had happened and could not evade it.
For a time, the media interviewed everyone connected to Michael.
Friends.
Partners.
Subordinates.
Colleagues.
Acquaintances.
The overwhelming majority painted the same picture.
Michael had severe violent tendencies.
His temper was notoriously short.
He was impulsive, aggressive, and difficult to control.
The media even interviewed Michael’s father.
The old man chased them away with a double-barreled shotgun.
That incident promptly became another headline.
How Violent Can One Family Be?
Gradually, public discussion shifted.
The question was no longer whether law-enforcement powers were excessive.
People began focusing on Michael himself.
Many reporters asked his coworkers and friends why they had never warned him about his temper.
Quite a few answered that they had been afraid Michael would beat them up.
The rapid change in public opinion pleased the higher levels of the IRS immensely.
Very few legislators were still shouting about “locking power in a cage” and other such nonsense.
People were condemning Michael.
That was exactly what they wanted.
Less than a week after William bought his house, Michael’s trial began.
As one of the primary and publicly known victims, William was required to appear as a witness in case his testimony became necessary.
The proceedings were not open to the public.
Officially, the reason was that too many media organizations had applied for access, creating the risk of disrupting court proceedings and interfering with courtroom order.
In reality, the purpose was to ensure the desired outcome.
The combined influence of the Federation FBI and the IRS was sufficient to attract the attention of the Department of Justice.
The day before the trial, the Department of Justice had issued instructions to the Sabine City Municipal Court requiring a closed hearing.
Since the case was not considered a major criminal matter and was essentially an assault case, no jury was required.
There was only the defendant.
The defendant’s attorney.
And the judge.
The courtroom felt strangely empty.
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