Run: 2026-03-18-01KM09CRR01Q5R29T7451A50ZV

It was dusk when Molly and Bill crouched behind a parked minivan in the driveway of a neatly trimmed suburban home. Streetlights flickered to life one by one, casting long shadows across the lawns. Inside the house, the warm glow of party lights spilled through the windows, painting the curtains in cheerful colors. The faint sound of children’s laughter and the occasional shriek of delight floated on the evening breeze, mixing with the distant hum of a lawnmower from the next street over. Molly adjusted the straps of her backpack, her sharp eyes scanning the house like a general surveying a battlefield. Beside her, Bill was practically vibrating with excitement, his fingers drumming against his knees, his breath coming out in quick, excited puffs that fogged the rapidly cooling air. Molly checked her watch for the third time in as many minutes. "Alright, Bill. We’ve got about an hour before the parents start collecting the presents to hand them out. We need to move fast." Bill grinned, his teeth flashing white in the fading light. "Fast? I was born fast. Watch this." He made to stand up, but Molly’s grip on his collar yanked him back down hard enough to rattle his teeth. "Not *that* kind of fast," she hissed. "We get in, grab the presents, and get out without anyone noticing. Kids have eyes like hawks." Bill sighed dramatically, slumping back against the minivan. "You’re no fun. I was gonna do a little dance every time we nab a present. You know, like a touchdown celebration but for thievery." Molly rolled her eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn’t get stuck. She pulled out a crumpled notebook from her pocket and flipped through the pages. "According to my intel, the good stuff—the presents with actual resale value—are in the living room. That’s where they pile them up before the big reveal." Bill leaned forward, peering over the minivan’s roof. "Ooooh, look! There’s a window open in the laundry room. Easy in, easy out." Molly squinted at the second-story window. "That’s the kid’s room window. If we go in there, we might wake up some little gremlin who decides to play hero." Bill waved a hand dismissively. "Gremlins are easy. One good ‘trick or treat’ and they’ll be frozen with fear." Molly’s eye twitched. "We are *not* trick-or-treating. We’re thieves." Bill smirked. "Details." Molly tapped her notebook. "The back door is alarmed, but the front door lock looks flimsy enough for a hairpin. We go in through the front, grab the presents from the living room, and exit the same way. Simple." Bill groaned, kicking at the pavement. "Simple for you, maybe. I still think we should go in through the kid’s window. More loot that way." Molly’s voice dropped to a dangerous calm. "Too risky. Also, have you considered that we’re stealing from *children*? This isn’t like breaking into a jewelry store where the victims are adults who should know better." Bill grinned, rubbing his hands together. "But think of all the fun toys! RC cars, dolls, maybe even one of those fancy game consoles. We could’ve had a blast playing with them before we fence ‘em." Molly pinched the bridge of her nose. "We are *not* here for games. We’re here for the cash value. Those presents can be sold for a pretty penny at the right fence." Bill threw his hands up. "Fine, fine. Lead the way, oh mastermind." He cracked his knuckles loudly. "Just remember, if I see something I *like*, I’m taking it. No negotiations." Molly’s eye twitched at the confident grin spreading across Bill’s face. She zipped up her bag one final time, the sound unnaturally loud in the quiet. Her lock picks were still secure in her pocket, their metal ends cold against her thigh. The laughter inside grew louder as the party reached its peak, the sound of a child singing off-key drifting through an open window. Outside, the air smelled like cut grass and barbecue, completely at odds with the illegal operation about to take place. The scent of hot dogs and some artificial fruit punch made her stomach growl, reminding her she’d skipped dinner to focus on the job. With one final look at the house, she gave Bill a curt nod. "Let’s move."