A principled man against the goons

Don't go knockin' about on the pits because you might face a large naag snivelling at you, jerking around its tongue at your face. That is what they said. But he wasn't one to go by folksy advice.

He was aware of the danger he was putting himself in. He was not stupid, no matter what his friends said or his family told him. He was against certain individuals who were backed by the full force of the state and a considerate amount of non-state armed actors, as he had put in his report. They had enough money resources and influence to take people like him out ten times over. And at the end of it, to what end? To put it out on the papers? What then? They were sheep, his countrypeople. They would read it believe it, and just dismiss it. Everyone does that, so what. Ehh, he didn't get into politics to be a sage. He had a family to feed and send to good schools, and the government doesn't pay its ministers enough. She was only doing something what anyone else would do. Even in the best case scenario, for him, they'd go to prison for a year maybe two and be back right where they were before, not invulnerable with nothing that could be used to take them out. His revelations would do nothing but vaccinate them against future cases. Was this even worth it?

This was about process, and the system. Even if this put him at personal risk, he would have to do it just for the principles. Have to do it. He'd convince himself it was for his personal career growth, so he could work for the international wire services. Maybe even the non-profits. That's what he would do. No, he couldn't be doing it for the principles, it would seem too stupid to have been doing it for the principles. He would have to bring the selfishness angle out. That way everyone would understand. He wouldn't be a martyr, a stupid principled oaf in the sea of smart 'practical' people, he would put himself out as selfish self-interested goon like everyone else whose personal interests just happened to align with law-and-order situation. And perhaps that way those he was exposing wouldn't feel as threatened either. It wasn't anything personal, it was just a part of his job and career growth he had to feed his family and send his kids to good schools too get foreign jobs maybe a nice refugee status in a good country if they made his life too difficult. They'd understand.