Moonlight pooled on the sidewalk as Molly crouched by the front gate. She adjusted her borrowed black gloves and glanced over her shoulder. The house looked ordinary. A simple, cheerful color scheme spilled onto the lawn in the glow of garden lights. The shrieks of laughter and muffled tunes drifted through the open window of the back porch. Balloons bobbed in the breeze. A banner proclaimed HAPPY BIRTHDAY! The scent of frosting and fresh cut grass carried hints of fairy tale magic and all too tempting treasures. Molly brushed a strand of hair from her face. She tapped her partner’s shoulder. Bill rolled beside her, scanning the perimeter with binoculars. His knee hovered over the motion sensor light. One false move would trigger an event far louder than a polite knock. They tensed as two children ran by, chasing a squealing puppy. The dog darted into the shadow of the hedge and froze. Silence swallowed every footstep. Molly felt her heart bounce in her ribcage like a pinball. She leaned in and whispered, Take the left gate latch. Bill nodded and eased forward. The latch clicked beneath his fingers. The gate swung open with a ghost of noise. They slipped inside, one shoulder ahead of the other, ghosts in black. Tonight they weren’t burglars or crooks. They were phantom guests at a party that sparkled with childish joy. Their eyes glinted with mischief. Ahead lay a mountain of wrapped boxes, gleaming ribbons, bows like jewels. The thrill of the heist. Molly: "I can’t believe we are breaking into a kid’s party for presents." Bill: "Completely believe it. Those presents look like lottery tickets." Molly: "Stick to the plan. We sabotage the game prizes and grab the gifts." Bill: "We’ll need my Extendable Hook and your shrinking mirror." Molly: "Don’t call it that. It’s a pocket compressing reflector." Bill: "Same thing. Now hurry." Molly: "Do you hear footsteps?" Bill: "Probably the birthday girl screaming for more cake." Molly: "Focus. Start with the table against the wall." Bill: "Careful. There’s a bowl of jelly beans." Molly: "Time to shine. Distract the parents with smoke pellets." Bill: "Got them. Watch the room fill with harmless glitter haze." Molly: "Perfect. While everyone sneezes, we’ll snag ribbons from under chairs." Bill: "What about the big box by the window?" Molly: "Priority target. We slide it into my bag first." Bill: "Then we vanish like ghost magnets." Molly: "Are you confident about the exit route?" Bill: "Two windows and one inflatable punch bouncy castle." Molly: "Let’s roll." Bill: "After that we celebrate with stolen cupcakes." Molly: "Don’t eat them here. We need clear trails for later." Bill: "Right. Map out our escape to the alley behind the fence." Molly: "I’ll disable the alarm pad with my micro screwdriver." Bill: "Don’t forget to wipe your prints off the cake knife." Molly: "My gloves are new. No prints ever existed." Bill: "Let’s bag everything, including that giant teddy bear." Molly: "Then we vanish before kids spot empty chairs."