"Manny" didn't have all the information that Hank Dalton desired. "Manny"--or Herman, as he prefered when he wasn't working--was expendable and was to...d only what the job required. Inside the pod Manny was made to believe that he was the only survivor of a raid gone wrong."It was a trap!" Herman told his nameless boss. "They gunned us down. I managed to escape. If any of the others got away, they didn't meet at the rally point. I need to get out of Florida. Somehow they knew we were coming and. "It's for you." Hi. It's me," Courtney said after Diana answered. "Do you have any wrapping paper I could use for Hope's birthday gift? We stopped on the way home and picked up something for her, but I can't find my wrapping paper. It's probably still in one of the boxes we haven't opened since the move."Courtney could hear the smile in Diana's voice. "We have tons of it. But you didn't have to get her anything. You've only known her for a couple of days..." Bosh. Remember, Jeff said we're. "Oh well, don't dip your pen in the company ink they say", I thought as I slowed to get another good look. I walked into the Billy Goat and wandered to a back table where I saw my friend from the London Times quaffing a pint of Guinness. "I say old chap, it's a little early for you." Oh well, things are slow. I just got stuck with covering the reception for some new diplomat from Peru." I know about that one. I'll be there too, bloody tuxedo and all. Those things are a real bore. At least. ... About three months after I started working there my 21st birthday was approaching and my mom and her friends agreed to has a get together after work that night to celebrate...nothing special... pizza and a couple of drinks after work at a place just down the road from the factory. We all met there and we had a good time...it was getting late and the party started to break up...my mom left and so did everyone else except Maria...she ordered us a couple of more beers and we chattted a bit.