Wichita, KS—A month after Caden Moore’s parents hid a dozen colored eggs around their two-story Wichita home for Easter, he is still on the look for the elusive 12th egg.

“My dad always says keep fighting until you achieve victory,” Moore said while once more cracking open the half-empty paint cans kept in the basement.

The younger Moore, an only child, said he’s always found all the eggs. When he was younger, he often had the help of his older cousin, Charlotte, but lately Charlotte hasn’t been coming over as much so Caden has been solo seeking.

“Last year they put one in the egg carton; that was tricky,” he said. “The year before they put one in the pocket of my fatigues which I only wear when I need to look nice like when my dad’s business partners come over. So I have to check everything.”

This year, Caden found 11 eggs in about an hour-and-a-half but the effort stalled there. The out-of-reach 12th egg is one his father, Tyler, said was half-purple, half-red.

“I dyed the whole thing red then dipped it in blue for about 30 seconds. It looked real nice. I have picture of it on my phone,” Moore said showing a photo of the egg after accidentally showing a picture of himself with his arm around a well-tanned man in a military uniform. “That was…that was a joke. Just some guys from work messing around. But the most important thing is the egg. Yes, the egg. I really don’t remember where I put it.”

Caden has spent much time after school searching before his parents get home from work. He thought he’d found the perfect hiding place when he saw something behind the five-shelf bookcase in the family room, but it turned out just to be an envelope with papers.

“It was maps and stuff. Like drawings of a big house with a big yard and Xs where guards were,” he said. “But no egg.”

When a reporter asked what Tyler did for a living, Caden said, “He travels for the government.”

Caden again thought he was onto something when he noticed the floor sounded different in a particular area of the living room. He pulled back the carpet and a couple floorboards to reveal a secret compartment.

“All it was were guns, a bunch of wires, my dad’s passport – well, it had his picture in it but the name was Esteban something. They must have made a mistake,” Caden said. “Oh, and a big bag of sugar. I don’t know why they don’t keep it in the kitchen with the rest of the sugar.”

Caden explained that his mother, Esmerelda, admonished him for pulling up the carpet and told him never to do it again.

“She started yelling at me in Spanish. She does that when she’s mad,” Caden said. “She does that with my dad, too, like when I heard him say ‘How was I supposed to know Charlotte was with the Sandinistas?’”

When a reporter asked Caden if he understood what was going on, he paused, then his eyes widened.

“Of course!” He shouted. “That drawer under the oven! I never looked there.”

Caden then ran off to the kitchen while this reporter backed away to the door and drove away constantly checking the rearview mirror, not entirely sure of what he’d seen but still fearing he’d seen too much.