Mr. Ballin

From covert operations to historical deceptions, Luke examines verified stories that sound almost too incredible to be true. Like Ana Montes, the defense intelligence analyst who maintained a perfect cover while secretly working for Cuba for nearly 20 years. Or the Tic Tac incident, where a decorated Navy pilot encountered something in the skies that the Pentagon couldn't explain.

Our next story is called The Box. Late one afternoon in April of 2019, a middle-aged woman named Mary was cutting up some vegetables in her kitchen in Northern Spain when she heard a knock on her front door.

Our next story is called The Box. Late one afternoon in April of 2019, a middle-aged woman named Mary was cutting up some vegetables in her kitchen in Northern Spain when she heard a knock on her front door.

Our next story is called The Box. Late one afternoon in April of 2019, a middle-aged woman named Mary was cutting up some vegetables in her kitchen in Northern Spain when she heard a knock on her front door.

So she put her things down, she went to the door, opened it up and standing there was her next door neighbor who was all smiles and she was holding this big box that was wrapped in wrapping paper and had a big bow on it. And then sitting on top of this big gift was a tray of deep fried rolls or croquettes.

So she put her things down, she went to the door, opened it up and standing there was her next door neighbor who was all smiles and she was holding this big box that was wrapped in wrapping paper and had a big bow on it. And then sitting on top of this big gift was a tray of deep fried rolls or croquettes.

So she put her things down, she went to the door, opened it up and standing there was her next door neighbor who was all smiles and she was holding this big box that was wrapped in wrapping paper and had a big bow on it. And then sitting on top of this big gift was a tray of deep fried rolls or croquettes.

Mary's neighbor was a 61-year-old woman named Carmen Marino, who was an exceptional chef, and her specialty were making these croquettes. They were filled with different types of meat and other things, and all the time, Carmen would come over and give them to Mary, and Mary loved these croquettes. And so as soon as she saw those, she was like, wow, amazing, and she invited Carmen inside.

Mary's neighbor was a 61-year-old woman named Carmen Marino, who was an exceptional chef, and her specialty were making these croquettes. They were filled with different types of meat and other things, and all the time, Carmen would come over and give them to Mary, and Mary loved these croquettes. And so as soon as she saw those, she was like, wow, amazing, and she invited Carmen inside.

Mary's neighbor was a 61-year-old woman named Carmen Marino, who was an exceptional chef, and her specialty were making these croquettes. They were filled with different types of meat and other things, and all the time, Carmen would come over and give them to Mary, and Mary loved these croquettes. And so as soon as she saw those, she was like, wow, amazing, and she invited Carmen inside.

But Carmen didn't come inside. Instead, she took the croquettes and handed them to Mary, and Mary's like, okay, great, thank you. But Carmen was still standing right outside holding this box, and now Mary's looking at her thinking that Carmen looks kind of uneasy. And so Mary said, you know, what's going on here? What's up with this box?

But Carmen didn't come inside. Instead, she took the croquettes and handed them to Mary, and Mary's like, okay, great, thank you. But Carmen was still standing right outside holding this box, and now Mary's looking at her thinking that Carmen looks kind of uneasy. And so Mary said, you know, what's going on here? What's up with this box?

But Carmen didn't come inside. Instead, she took the croquettes and handed them to Mary, and Mary's like, okay, great, thank you. But Carmen was still standing right outside holding this box, and now Mary's looking at her thinking that Carmen looks kind of uneasy. And so Mary said, you know, what's going on here? What's up with this box?

Carmen was silent for a second and just kind of held this box out, at which point Mary realized, okay, so she's trying to give me this gift. And so Mary reached out and took this huge present and she was like, thank you, Carmen. Like, what is this? What's going on? And Mary, when she looked at Carmen, she could tell Carmen's face was now bright red.

Carmen was silent for a second and just kind of held this box out, at which point Mary realized, okay, so she's trying to give me this gift. And so Mary reached out and took this huge present and she was like, thank you, Carmen. Like, what is this? What's going on? And Mary, when she looked at Carmen, she could tell Carmen's face was now bright red.

Carmen was silent for a second and just kind of held this box out, at which point Mary realized, okay, so she's trying to give me this gift. And so Mary reached out and took this huge present and she was like, thank you, Carmen. Like, what is this? What's going on? And Mary, when she looked at Carmen, she could tell Carmen's face was now bright red.

She was very embarrassed about something, maybe whatever she was going to say. And so Mary just waited for Carmen to speak. And so eventually, Carmen would, she would clear her voice, and then she would say, you know, Mary, this is really embarrassing, but I need you to hold onto this box for a little bit.

She was very embarrassed about something, maybe whatever she was going to say. And so Mary just waited for Carmen to speak. And so eventually, Carmen would, she would clear her voice, and then she would say, you know, Mary, this is really embarrassing, but I need you to hold onto this box for a little bit.

She was very embarrassed about something, maybe whatever she was going to say. And so Mary just waited for Carmen to speak. And so eventually, Carmen would, she would clear her voice, and then she would say, you know, Mary, this is really embarrassing, but I need you to hold onto this box for a little bit.

It contains my sex toys, and I'm having company over at my house, and I'm just worried that somehow they're gonna find these things. Mary was so caught off guard by what Carmen was telling her that she just started laughing. But Carmen didn't join in on the laughter. She just kind of looked down like she was totally mortified.