No one ever wanted 16 year old Caleb Crew. His own mother didn't want him. Why would anybody else want him? Surprisingly, Owen Blackwood did. Caleb was shocked when the rich man asked his social worker if he could take him in as a foster child. Caleb at first thought there had to be something wrong with the picture. Why would this guy want Caleb? Owen lived alone. He had no wife, no girlfriend, and no kids. He made a lot of money doing a job Caleb had no clue about. Owen’s response was oddly always confidential like it was a secret or something. What could he had wanted with Caleb? Caleb wanted to know.


“How long is this shindig going to last?” Caleb asked one night during dinner. It was after Caleb had gotten home from his Mix Martial Arts classes that Owen had signed him up for one random day. Owen just appeared at Caleb’s bedroom door with a bag full of gear and told Caleb he would be taking classes because Owen thought it was good for him. Caleb didn’t want to admit it but ever since he started taking the classes he couldn’t go a day without them.


Owen lifted an eyebrow as he chewed a piece of his steak. “What are you talking about?” he questioned after he had swallowed.


“I said how long are you having me here?” Caleb repeated in other words. You know, before your duty to society is over and you don’t have to fake to be some great rich guy who gives back, Caleb thought about saying but didn't have the guts.


“Well, I plan on having you until you go off to college.” Owen responded, easily.


“How come I feel there isn’t something you’re telling me?”


“I’m not following you, son.” Owen commented so casually that it made Caleb want to rip out his hair. “I’m not sure why you would feel that way.”


“Fine, I will be more clear. How can a man be so wealthy but have no life. You have no family and no friends.” Caleb said bluntly. “And then out of the blue you decided you wanted to foster a kid. So, what’s the jig?”


“The jig? I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” Owen said as he mixed his gravy deeper into his mash potatoes “I think you’ve taken too many kicks to the head from MMA practice.”
Caleb pushed his empty plate away from himself, crossed his arms against his chest, and stared directly into Owen’s eyes. He was used to people lying and that was how he knew Owen was lying. Caleb shook his head. “Don’t play dumb with me. I invented lying. I know you’re up to no good. Confidential my butt. You’re part of a gang, aren’t you? It explains the money and the secrecy.”
“Are you done?”
No, Caleb wasn’t actually. “And if fostering me in and giving me all this crap is a way to leer me into your gang, you can forget about it. Call up the social worker because I’m out. I may not have a lot but I know I’ll never go down that road.”
Owen stood, pushing his chair back with a load eek. He threw his cloth napkin on the table and walked off. “Hey, where are you going?” Caleb called after him. “Can I get some answers?”
“I want to show you my office.” Owen replied.
Caleb looked up at the ceiling and sighed in frustration. “I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it.”
“Are you coming?” Owen called out from down the hall when Caleb didn't follow.
Caleb grumbled words under his breath as he went after Owen. Owen’s office was big. The wood floor was polished. The master chair and desk looked untouched. The office was neat. Maybe a little to neat to be a working mans office. Papers were stacked in piles, books were neatly on shelves, and there was no sign of anything out of place. It didn’t even seem like Owen worked in there.
“I’ve seen your office before, Owen.” Caleb reminded him. Caleb thought maybe Owen was going through a phase. Caleb always thought Owen was a little on the off side. He had to be. He was a loner by choice. Caleb had never seen or heard Owen talk about any friends or family. The house phone rarely rang with someone on the other end asking for Owen unless it was a person begging for money.
“I’m just wondering, do you choose to be alone or are you just weird?” Caleb finally asked the thoughts running through his mind.
Owen didn’t answer. He went over and sat down behind his large brown wood desk. “I want to show you something. Take a seat.”
Caleb reluctantly sat down across from Owen. “Okay, what now?”
Owen took a deep breath. “I was hoping you were going to finish a few more months of MMA before I recruited you but I see that that isn’t going to happen.”
Caleb raised a curious eyebrow. “Recruit me. For what?”
“The reason you don’t know much about me is because I work for an undercover agency, The FDA. The Federal Drug Administration. We are an agency that deals with the big drug bust. Ever heard of the Johnson case in Texas?”
Caleb nodded. It had to be one of the biggest drug bust that took place in Texas. Loads of Mexican imports of cocaine was being imported into Texas by small fish boats and into notorious drug dealers pockets. Word is pounds upon pounds were found in some shabby old boat as storage.
“That was one of the FDA’s biggest drug bust. I was one of the agents undercover during the investigation. It wasn’t easy. I had to befriend bad people. I had to become one of them and they trusted me. Now you see why I’m so secretive?” Owen said.


“Because you have people that want you dead.” Caleb finished off.


Owen nodded. “Yes but I am save now. Most of the ones that want me dead are in jail and most of their loyal outsiders have forgotten about me. They’re pretty much onto more beneficial things you can say.”
In Caleb’s mind Owen had gone from being a suspected gang member to an undercover agent that helped bust gang members in a drug raid. Caleb was in a complete daze at that point. “Why are you telling me this?”
Owen reached across his desk towards a small angel figurine. He flicked the head back with his thumb, revealing a small black button and pushed it. The bookshelves behind Owen had opened up to a secluded staircase that led to a lower level.
“Who are you?” Caleb asked in a whisper of amazement.
Owen grinned. “Secret Agent Owen Blackwood.”
Owen sled his chair back and descended down the stairs without explanation. Caleb figured that was a sign for him to follow so he did. He was suddenly enticed by Owen. Caleb was interested in discovering the unknown of his foster parent.
Caleb flew down the stairs to catch up with Owen. The room Owen brought Caleb to wasn’t like the other rooms in Owen’s fancy house. The room was filled with high tech equipment and weapons. The room was designed for someone with a lot of knowledge and use. It wasn’t a place to be if you didn’t know what you were doing thats was for sure.
Caleb glanced around, resisting the urge to reach out and touch things that were odd to him. “Who makes all these things?”
“There is a team of us. Since, I've retired from the undercover jobs I have been working in the lab making stuff like this for the new agents.” Owen responded.
Caleb focused his eyes back on Owen.”Is that why you’ve fostered me? You need me to become a new agent.”
Owen sighed, heavily. “That was the point. You see the agency has gotten this big tip on a drug case that has been going on in Willington for the past year. As you may know Willington is a wealthy town. Word is that there is a chain working around the high school and is selling the students the pure stuff.”
Caleb nodded as he took this all in. Willington was a drug dealers paradise. Rich kids who had nothing better to do with their parents money then to buy their next high. It was the best way to make money.


After a minute Caleb said. “What you’re saying is that you need me?”


Owen nodded. “FDA needs you.”


“What happens if I choose not to do it?” Caleb asked, preparing for the worst. “Are you sending me make to foster care?”


Owen shook his head. “I’m not that heartless. I’ll let you finish high school. Maybe even then college if that is what you want.”
Caleb had never had options before but Owen was giving him choices. He didn't have to become an agent. Owen said so himself that he would let Caleb stay and finish high school and to possible go to college. An option Caleb never thought of. With two options at play Caleb felt himself going towards the one and only best.
Caleb focused on Owen and said with confidence. “Consider me you’re new agent.”
Owen smiled as he stuck out his hand towards Caleb with gratitude, knowing that he made the right choice. “Welcome aboard Agent Caleb Crew.”