Say you got asked to do a bit of work by a higher up, and were asked by your immediate boss to send it to them first for a looksee.

Say you did that a fortnight ago, your boss hasn't looked at it yet and is out of the country, and the higher up is pestering you about the work.

Do you a) throw your boss under the bus and tell the higher up what's going on, b) throw yourself on the grenade and tell the higher up it's your fault, c) kill jester or d) set the place on fire and run whooping, Zoidberg style, down the road.

Also the immediate boss in this scenario has a history of being a fucking nightmare when annoyed at you.