American Tax Officer

Early the next morning, after completing all the handovers, David took his carry-on luggage to the airport and boarded the flight to Washington D.C.

Las Vegas is more than 3,800 kilometers away from Washington D.C. After a five-hour flight, the plane finally entered the airspace above the city.

Looking down through the window, the entire city looked like a dazzling gem set on a canvas of green. In the distance, the sparkling lakes and rivers resembled silver ribbons, connecting every corner of the city like arteries.

As the plane descended, the cityscape of Washington D.C. became gradually visible, with its high-rise buildings and neatly arranged streets, giving a sense of order and organization to the whole city.

In the city, there was one spot that was particularly eye-catching – the Washington Monument. This towering structure made of white marble shone brightly under the sunlight. It was built to commemorate America's first President George Washington and is one of America's most iconic landmarks.

Besides the Washington Monument, one could also see the outlines of many other famous sites, such as the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, and Congressional Hill. These buildings each had their own characteristics; some were solemn, some imposing, and some delicately elegant. Together, they formed the unique urban landscape of Washington.

"So this is Washington D.C.…"

Looking at this city that gathered countless high-ranking officials and represented the heart of America, David was also somewhat emotional.

"Good day, dear passengers. The plane will soon be landing at Dulles International Airport. Please prepare…"

About ten minutes after the broadcast announcement, the plane's wheels began to touch the runway, then taxied for a while before slowly coming to a stop.

The cabin doors opened, and passengers started to walk out one by one, and David was among them. He made his way to the airport lobby and saw a woman holding up a sign with his name on it.

The woman also spotted him immediately and came forward to introduce herself: "Hello, Director David, I've been sent by the headquarters to pick you up. My name is Leticia."

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"Hello, Leticia."

"Please follow me."

Leticia led David to the underground parking garage, where they got into a BMW 5 Series and then headed towards the city center.

"It's like this, I will first take you to have a photo shoot. After it's done, we'll head back to headquarters to meet with the director and others. Moreover, at 3 o'clock, there will be a press conference held in the headquarters hall..."

Leticia explained to David the tasks and schedule for the day while driving, and David kept agreeing.

After more than half an hour, the two arrived at the base of a skyscraper in the city.

According to Leticia, on the 20th floor of this building was a studio specializing in creating promotional photos for socialites, high-ranking officials, congress members, governors, and presidential candidates. David's promotional photos were also to be taken and produced there.

After more than an hour of shooting, David finally completed the photo session. Leticia then drove him towards the headquarters.

The Internal Revenue Service headquarters was located on Constitution Avenue. After a twenty-minute drive, Leticia parked the car at the entrance.

Getting out of the car and seeing the grand and solemn headquarters building, David felt a surge of excitement in his heart.

This place was where all 140,000 inspectors, including Chief Tax Officers, Tax Investigators, and branch heads, dreamt of coming!

And for him, it was his first time here.

Unfortunately, his visit this time was only to attend the election ceremony and report on his duties, not to be directly transferred to this power center.

But that was okay. As long as he could go to his Western Suburb Branch, make a tax contribution that satisfied the higher-ups here, entering this place would surely be just a matter of time!

"Let's go inside, Director David."

Following Leticia's steps, David entered the headquarters, but as soon as he crossed the threshold, he was captivated by the portraits of Lincoln, past directors, and Inspectors who had made special contributions to the Internal Revenue Service hanging on the wall.

"There's no need to envy them, Director David. After you retire, your portrait can also be hung up there," Leticia said.

David, overwhelmed with thoughts, was taken aback and pointed to his nose, asking, "My portrait can be hung up too?"

"Of course. You are the hero who, in the 21st century, brought our armed forces back into the public eye, and also the chosen one for the Deity Project. Both undoubtedly will go down in the annals of our Internal Revenue Service history. You will definitely have a place here on this wall of honor."

Hearing Leticia's words, David suddenly realized.

Yes, this wall of portraits was meant to recognize those who had made special contributions to the Internal Revenue Service. Indeed, by leading armed operations and being elected for the Deity Project, he had certainly made a significant contribution.

However, the idea that his portrait would only be hung after retirement, which felt akin to receiving honors posthumously, seemed rather tasteless.

At that thought, he spoke up, "Leticia, are there any precedents for portraits to be hung here without having to retire or be deceased?"

Leticia looked at David with a meaningful gaze, then stepped closer to the wall of portraits, pointing to one of the men's portraits and said, "Bunyan Weavered, I think you must have heard of him. He went undercover in Al Capone's organization for a full three years before he found the tax evader's ledger that took Capone down.

Just like you, he also gave our forces a moment of glory in the public eye."