"The Easy Steal" "So, Bill, you're sure this is a good idea?" Molly whispered, eyeing the two-story mansion flanked by colorful streamers that bled down the brick facade. Bill squinted through his binoculars before replying, "Molly, if I couldn't break into this place, I'm convinced there's no such thing as an 'almost impossible heist.'" Molly chuckled, a sound muffled by her pressed glove. "You think the kids will be preoccupied by the clown juggling pies, the magician pulling toys out of his hat, and the plump old woman ego-tripping as she nibbles at her make-believe crown? This is no ordinary Christmas party; it's organized like Fort Knox." "Believe me, Mol," Bill said, adjusting his sling. "These 'kids' mean business. So do we." The car pulls into the garage. Bill eased the door open while Molly pulled back her sleek black hair. "On three?" "On three," she said, a smirk on her face. Bill patted the small, rounded bulge in his pocket. With a grin, he gestured toward the window. "Tick, tock. Two, three ... " They moved like shadows, oozing across the cold floor. Molly landed softly in front of the living room window, a ledge her unlikely perch tonight. With the grace of a ballerina, she slid in and balanced on the narrow sill. "You won't believe how easy this is," she said, watching the blurred shapes of kids frolic below. Bill gave a low whistle. "I'll take your word for it." From her perch, Molly's gaze landed on the small Christmas tree, a sea of gift boxes beneath its branches like buried treasure. "So, ready to bounce off the walls?" Bill chuckled. "I might need to actually bounce off them." "Not exactly the image a successful thief would want." Molly glanced back at him, the streetlights casting her shadow against the glass. "You remember the Ghost and Peter Pan routine?" Bill gulped. "You mean upside-down in living rooms?" "Yeah, one hand, no hands, make-believe hands..." Molly enacted with fluttering fingers. "And don't forget the invisible mattress. It's all about believing." "I'm harder to impress than Santa on New Year's Eve." "No, you'll think of a four-year-old whose bed hasn't floated," Molly teased. "Crisis averted," Bill joked, crouching, preparing to jump. In the living room, chaos reigned. The climbers were scrambling the clown was showering confetti over his head, the magician's wand had vanished, and the elderly entertainer had slipped on a stray toy car, her crown scattering like shining chips of ice. "Ow!" Bill said, as Molly maneuvered him through the airborne toys, stuffed animals, and tumbling clowns. "Believing is one thing; not falling flat on your face while praying is another." "Well, hello, gravity," Molly said, grimacing as Bill lands awkwardly, sending presents flying. "Try again!" With a huff, Bill sprang back into the air. "A leap of faith?" "More like a leap of a certified thief," Molly quipped, hitching a smile. And so, they danced, the fluffed-up balloons, the leaping and diving children all a playful distraction as Molly and Bill wove their comedic heist, two thieves in a children's Christmas party - unseen but not unfelt. Their laughter echoed as they molded themselves into the background, their playful banter barely audible above the orchestral chaos. Above the living room, Molly pinned her gaze back on Bill, grinning. "You doing okay?" "Better than 'Daredevil on a tightrope,'" Bill replied, helping himself to a nearly perfect landing. "So, are we almost done?" "Huh. Inspired by something?" Molly said, before grinning mischievously. "Almost. But hey, it's Christmas. Who needs to steal gifts when we have this party to steal?" Laughing, two shadows blended into the swirling madness, feeling just a little lighter in their hearts even as their pockets filled with someone else's treasures.