Real Reality

Detective Rucker sat in an alley in an unmarked car. He waited for his under Cover agent. After ten minutes the passenger side door of his car opened. Special Agent Issac Smith got in. He was still undercover dressed in his "thug" attired. He was unshaven and looking unlike himself or at least the Agent Smith, that Detective Rucker would know.

"I can't get use to you looking like this," Detective Rucker chuckled.

"What do you have for me," Issac asked as he scanned his surroundings. He couldn't be caught in this part of the town getting out of a police car. His street cred would be gone.

"I think the evidence you took at the Vice Kings drug house is enough to get us a warrant. DEA is also being put on this case too!." Rucker told his colleague.

"DEA" Isaac chuckled. "They always come in like they did some fucking work."

"Look at these pics." Rucker gave his colleague.

"The guy in the red is who we looking for," Rucker informed Isaac.

Isaac nodded. "I got you."

Rucker also slides Isaac another picture.

"Look."

It was a picture of the governor meeting with the Vice Kings, specifically Mark.

"What the fuck?" Isaac said looking intently at the pic.

"This was taken precisely 4 weeks before his son was taken." Rucker volunteered the information.

"So what is the governor involved in?" Isaac asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me," Rucker asked.

"Don't know," Isaac said honestly.

Rucker could see the emotions on his colleague's face. He was weird ever since he closed up the missing kid's case. Dude was definitely getting a promotion an shit but he wasn't all happy over his accomplishment.

"What's going on?" Rucker asked his friend.

"What do you mean?" Isaac asked.

"You're being weird.. " Detective Rucker said as he looked at his UC. "You've been weird ever since you found that kid," Rucker said as he studied his friend's face.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Isaac said. "I'm busting my ass out here trying not to get a bullet in my head." Issac said his voice elevated which was a tell tell sign for Rucker because Issac was always cool and calm.

"I saw you at the hospital," Rucker said not sure if he should even bring it up.

"So what?" Issac said defiantly. "I was just checking in on him." He said knowing he had broken protocol by going to the hospital, his cover could have been blown.

Now Rucker was alarmed because Special Agent Smith was a top agent. He always followed the rules. He had an innate ability to sense things. His instincts couldn't be beaten but in this moment something was off.

"We done?" Issac asked.

Rucker nodded. "I'll see you soon."

He watched Special Agent Issac Ray Smith get out of the car, smith slammed the door closed as he went to his Black Escalade with tinted windows. He cleared his throat getting back into character.

"We are going south," he told his driver.

———-

Caleb had finally been released from the hospital. He was happy to be out feeling the warm sun on his skin. His body free from drugs and withdrawals. He was clean and fresh from a shower. He had even washed his hair and conditioned his curly locks which bounced in the wind. Caleb put his headphones in his ear as he watched the scenery change. His head rested against the glass window of the car. He was ready to go home but unfortunately, he had to go to the police station. They wanted him to make a formal statement about what happened. A standard procedure they said. Caleb wanted this to be quick so that he could be done and move on with his life. The car pulled into the parking lot. Caleb's mother looked at her son worried. " Are you sure you are up for this?"

" Yes, mom," he said with confidence as he got out of the car. "I'm not a child." He reminded her.

" I know." She said following Caleb inside.

Mrs. Johnson and Caleb, I'm Detective Rucker. He said as he shook their hands. " Why don't you follow me to the conference room? Water or coffee?" He asked giving them the VIP treatment.

" Water," Caleb said appreciatively.

Caleb sat in the well-lit conference room. At the head of the table. His mother sat to his right side.

Detective Rucker came back inside taking a seat to the left side of the table.

Let's get started. My colleague will be in soon.

Caleb nodded.

"We are going to record this interview ok." Rucker said putting the iPad on the table. He pressed record.

"State your name and age for me." Rucker asked

"My name is Caleb Johnson." He said as the conference room door opened and in walked a tall guy in a tailored blue suit with a crisp white shirt and silver cuff links. His hair was cut low and he was cleanly shaved. Caleb could smell his cologne as he walked past Detective Rucker taking a seat next to him. His cologne was familiar. His brown eyes met those grey ones and Caleb nearly choked on his spit seeing the man before him. The man was clean and professionally dressed. He had even shaved and went to a barber but Caleb could never forget that face and those eyes.

"You," Caleb said in shock standing up from his seat. "Why is he here?" He pointed fear in his eyes. His heart was beating fast.

"Uh, this is Special Agent Issac Smith." Detective Rucker explained not sure why Caleb's reaction was so severe.

"He found you." He said. "He saved you fro-."

"Saved?" Caleb yelled agitated. "His name is Max." Caleb yelled. "Not Issac."

"Why don't you have a seat," Rucker asked. "I can explain all of that."

Caleb ran his fingers through his hair in thought. He was stressed by that man's presence.

"Caleb?" His mom asked confused. Caleb didn't know if he should sit down and compose himself like a dignified person or if he should run and get out of there. This couldn't be happening. He was right there in front of him. The man that had hurt him.

Caleb exhaled taking his seat as Special Agent Issac stared into his eyes. Caleb felt like he was going to pass out.

Detective Rucker explained how Issac was a special agent, doing mostly undercover work in the not-so-nice part of town, which is how he was able to locate Caleb. He spoke about how he had infiltrated the Vice Kings organization and was able to connect. "Of course, I had to use methods that I am not proud of In order to free your son," Issac said to the Governors wife. "I had no intention of hurting your son," Issac said.

"Shut up," Caleb said to Issac. He didn't want his mother to know or hear those things. The details of what happened. She couldn't know. Detectives Smith stopped talking seeing Caleb upset. "Um," Caleb said as he ran his fingers through his hair in thought.

"Mom, please wait for me outside," Caleb demanded.

"Caleb? She questioned confused by his behavior.

"Mom," Caleb said expecting her to leave. "I'm 19. I don't need you here. I need to do this alone."

Mrs. Johnson nodded feeling the need to stay but she respected her son's wishes.

Once his mom was gone he spoke freely.

"Look, I don't want your fake ass apology," Caleb said clearly agitated.

"The fact that you're apologizing to my mother and not to me is appalling." He said. "You fucking ...hurt me." Caleb forced those words out of his mouth as he thought back. A tear fell from his eye, he quickly wiped it away gaining composure.

"Let's hurry up and do this," Caleb demanded. He quickly explained his side of the story how he was walking back to his home at the off-campus housing complex from the university when men in a SUV grabbed him. They drugged him. He spoke about Mark and Demonte. How Demonte acted like he knew his father but he wasn't sure if Demonte really knew his dad or not.

Caleb without great detail said he was sexually assaulted by Max.

"How many times?" Rucker asked.

"I don't know." Caleb said annoyed. "Like 2 times I guess. Caleb said feeling embarrassed as Issac listened taking notes.

"Does he have to be here?" Caleb asked Detective Rucker. He was the rape victim after all and his rapist was sitting right across from him. It was weird and uncomfortable.

"Um." Detective Rucker said never having been in this situation.

"Whatever," Caleb said. "He forced me to..." Caleb trailed off. "He forced his ..." Caleb was embarrassed about the entire situation. Caleb exhaled finding the courage to tell Detective Rucker what his agent did to him. He forced his...p-penis in my mouth," Caleb said looking at the table. He couldn't bring himself to look into Detective Ruckers eyes. "Afterwards he raped me" Caleb elaborated. "It just hurt so much... I couldn't fight back because I was drugged. My hands were tied to the bed. He rambled on feeling guilty for allowing it to happen. "He took my vi-"Caleb stopped himself from uttering those words.

"He took what?" Rucker asked confused.

"Nothing," Calebs said quickly. "Are we done or what?"

"Yes we are," Rucker said with sympathy.

They showed Caleb pictures of men asking him to identify anyone he saw in captivity. He identified Mark and Demonte.

He was ready to go. He had nothing more to say.

"I'm done." He said getting up to leave. If you need more call, my lawyer."

Detective Rucker nodded. Thank you for coming in. I will work to bring you justice.

Caleb opened the door leaving the men alone. The waiting room was empty. He headed to the front door but before he could push it open Issac grabbed his shoulder spinning him around to look at him.

"I" Issac began to say. " Everything I did was in an effort to return you home safely, ok." He said as he stared into those terrified eyes. He touched Caleb's cheek gently with the back of his hand.

Caleb gasped in shock not expecting Max, well Issac to touch him.

"Please don't" Caleb whispered. Max wanted nothing more than to throw Caleb against the wall and fuck him. He wanted to taste those lips again. He cleared his throat and reminded himself that he was Issac. He dropped his hand from Caleb's face letting the boy leave.

Detective Rucker watched the entire scene. Now everything made sense. He had a whole bunch of shit to clean up.

"What the fuck?" He yelled at Issac. "Why didn't you tell me about this before I brought him in?" Rucker asked furiously.

"I don't know," Issac said honestly.

" I wouldn't have asked you to be present during the fucking interview. He's a fucking victim here. If you had told me I wouldn't have sent his rape kit to be processed." He yelled.

"I fucked up," Issac said in defeat. He pinched the bridge of his nose. " I had to do it. They were gonna give him to the cartel at first. I convinced them that I would buy him and use him... Demonte wasn't convinced that I liked boys... and Mark gave Demonte the idea to have me fuck him to prove it. So I did it. Issac explained to his colleague.

Detective Rucker sighed. " Ok we -I'll fix it. I'll do my best to save your fucking job." You should have just come to me first. Detective Rucker yelled. "Fuck," Detective Rucker yelled.