Bad Santa

Zed slumped against the side of the ice rink, swallowing the sudden thick feeling in his throat as he stared down at the dainty gold wristlet with several keys attached.

He waited, watching for her figure to leave his sight. He knew this time he couldn't run after her.. but he had to play this just right.

Pulling out his phone he hit a contact before popping in one of his ear pods.

"Meet me at the mall in twenty."

"Why am I still here?" Eliza groaned, meeting her friend inside the extravagant pretend gingerbread house that he insisted on hiding out in.

"Because now's the time we put the security system to the test.. Got your stuff?" Eliza lifted her laptop bag as she sat down at the table.

"How are we getting out?"

Zed smirked, holding up the familiar gold wristlet.

"How the hell did you do that?"

"Not proud of it." Shaking his head Eliza couldn't help but laugh. His shit eating grin told her otherwise.

"Had to kiss the brat but .. it looks like it paid off."

"Diabolical.."Eliza mused before firing up her laptop. "Let's get to work.."

Once Bonzo met up with them, he threw Zed his duffle bag. The two getting dressed in their all black outfits and ski masks.

"Alright, loop is almost done.." Eliza confirmed. After silently hacking into the security system, she set up a screen recording and had been recording all the mall footage for the last hour to give them a not so obvious loop.

Zed looked at Bonzo, "Ready B?"

"Stoked." Bonzo grinned before putting in his ear pod. "You take north and I'll take south.. Eliza watch over us.."

"Always do." Eliza grinned before wishing them luck.

The reason why they got away with everything is simple. They were careful and as much as they hated it, they played the long game.

In another two weeks when the mall was locked up nice and tight for Christmas Day. They would hit Harry Winston's, hard.

For now they would learn the schedules, the ins and outs and how best to accomplish there hit.

Zed watched from above, scoping out the area and staying clear of security.

"Looks like a silent night.." Bonzo's voice suddenly filled his right ear. "Your puns suck every Christmas.." Zed murmured.

"So does your attitude." Bonzo scoffed, the two had been like brothers ever since the group home.

Zed had been tall but a very skinny kid, while Bonzo was built like a lumberjack and looked like one even back when they were thirteen. Luckily they befriended each other, Bonzo was the only reason Zed made it through his freshman year not being shoved in a locker or hazed by the football team he so badly wanted to join.

As for Bonzo, Zed was the only reason he graduated. The guy could hack any safe or combo lock, really liked fixing up cars but couldn't write an essay or pass a math test to save his life.

"B, there's a guard coming up on your left.." Eliza's voice rang in, "Z, you're clear."

Eliza was the voice of reason, the one that kept them together and reminded them that they weren't actually losers though she loved to call them pretty much every name in the book some days.