Why did I take this job? I griped, hanging upside down. I really didn't need to take this job, I WANTED to be home with my baby. But NO, of course not...Then again, I probably would've come even if the three mil WASN'T on the table...

I carefully lowered myself until my hands reached the desk beneath me, and with a click I flipped onto my feet while unhooking myself from the harness. I stood on the wooden desk, looking around myself oh so carefully. I had been warned the floor had been rigged with some motion detectors, lovely, and of course the little red beams criss crossing the floor didn't help anything.

I pouted in annoyance. What did I expect? Somewhat highly intelligent alien beings to make my life easy? Yeah right. Besides, I grinned, who actually LIKES the easy way? It's just so BORING. I looked around myself for the motion detector. For once, it looked like luck was on my side because I found it so easily, and it was barely within my reach. I turned the motion sensors off, but the beams stayed on the ground. Oh well, looks like it's time for hopscotch!

I carefully hopped onto the floor, standing like a crane. I giggled as I moved to the next square, feeling almost like a ballerina as I made my way across the booby trapped floor. Too easy. I chuckled.

I navigated my way out of that particular mine field, and then checked my map. Most little adventures of mine were problematic because I never really knew where I was going. Oh, I always had a general idea, but my opponents were never nice enough to leave a flashing arrow pointing to my prize. On second thought, why would they? I WAS trying to steal from them.

Most of my 'missions' were fairly straightforward, and I never got caught. I wasn't called the Shadow Thief for no reason, after all! But for once, my talent caught the eyes of someone higher up in the criminal underworld. My new employer was a shadow walker himself, I never even knew his name. What I did know was that he would tear me limb from limb if I failed, or would just let my new captors do the honors for him if I got captured.

But I'd never been captured, and wasn't about to start.

Besides, my baby would miss me terribly! If you can't have love in this world, then what's left for you?

But either way, I would get back to my baby after I pulled one last stunt. With the money from this job, I could retire, have a normal life.

The job seemed simple until my new boss threw a wrench in it: It was on a whole other planet. Turns out, there ARE aliens in the galaxy. Really, really, really weird looking ones to boot. They basically looked like living flesh on floating disks, and the worst part was that they could talk! Guts and gore should NOT be able to talk. I guess it was a good thing I was sent to burgle a necklace off them...

Apparently, I was supposed to find an amulet. I would know it was the one I was looking for because of two very important things: It would catch my attention (a huge ruby on a solid gold chain would probably catch ANYONE'S attention) and it would be heavily guarded by a brigade of alien protectors.

Sounds like fun.

The boss sent me into space on some intergalactic whose-e-whatsit platform or whatever, and I ended up on top of the research and development center that the necklace was being stored in. Personally, I would've locked it away in a vault for safe keeping, or at least behind a couple feet thick glass plate, but leaving it lying around probably made my life easier.

Using an open vent, I had gotten into the building, traipsing the compound through what had to be air ducts. But could living flesh breath? DID aliens breathe? Now, THAT was a good question. After finding a nearby hallway close to my necklace (the armed guard was a pretty good indicator), I had lowered myself down and here I was.

The whole 'Getting-The-Armed-Guard-Away-From-My-Prize' was the only real problem. But as I'm sure you know, ANY problem can be solved with C-4.

A BANG exploded down in the air ducts, the sound ricocheting around the building and taking everyone by surprise. The guards all ran to find out where the attack was going on, and I gleefully slipped into the room. I necklace was just as pretty as I imagined, with light sparkling off the ruby. The gold chain had little runes decorating it, and I absently wondered what it meant as I reached to pick it up.

Nothing in life is easy, and when victory seems near, trust me, it isn't.

The minute I picked the necklace up, an alarm deafened me. I clapped my hands over my ears, running to get away as fast as possible. I SO did not want to be deaf! What kind of thief is DEAF? I would be a laughingstock in criminal society! Losing your hearing on a job...One you chose to undertake in the first place...I could already hear the laughter.

I headed towards the roof where a portal stood waiting. It wasn't a platform thingamabob, but it worked just as well. I ran through it just as the alien things stormed the roof, and it winked out right as they reached it.

The portal spit me out in an ally, and grumbling I stood up.

My boss wasn't there, no one was.

I looked around myself nervously. Where was he? What was taking him?

I waited only a few minutes before getting the heck outta there, because I know one thing for certain: If and when your boss (whom everyone cowers in fear at the feet of said criminal) doesn't show up, you run...Because whatever got your boss is coming after you.

I headed home, stuffing the necklace in my pocket. My home was an apartment in a complex that sounded like a senor citizens' care facility: Tranquil Haven. I opened the door without knocking, humming to myself as I closed the door and locked it with all three bolts I had put in (just in case).

"I'm home, baby!" I called out, waiting to hear the love of my life respond.

"Mommy!" a grinning seven year old exclaimed, running into my outstretched arms.

"Sweetie pie," I hugged my daughter tight to me. She was the reason I risked my life for pretty baubles like the amulet, so I could give her a better life. "How are you? How was your day? Did you have fun at school?" I asked, fussing over my baby girl as I lead her to the kitchen to make dinner.

"It was okay, but a mean boy picked on me for loosing my tooth yesterday," her daughter pouted, but brightened a second later as she took something out of her pocket. "Look! The Tooth Fairy left me a quarter!"

"Oh my goodness, you're so lucky. Can I see?" I asked, and my baby handed over the quarter eagerly. "Oh, it's a state quarter too. Hawaii, how exotic is that?"

My baby girl just gasped in delight, clapping her little hands together.

My daughter looked a lot like me, with long brown hair pulled back into a pink bow and clever little blue eyes. She had a couple of freckles on her face, and a grin on her face. Her missing tooth was one of her front ones, and her usual happy smile was now just a little less toothy. She was wearing a pink dress to match the bow, with cute little heart shaped pockets on the front. My baby girl was just so adorable!

"Do you want to see what I found today?" I asked, pulling the necklace out of my pocket. My little girl's blue eyes widened, and she grinned.

"It's really pretty, Mommy," she breathed.

"Do you want to try it on?" I asked, and my daughter nodded excitedly. I unclasped the chain, and placed it around her neck. If only I had payed closer attention to the way it clicked shut with such finality, the way it clicked so firmly shut...

"It's so pretty," my baby said in awe.

If only I knew how important this necklace was, that it's owners would try to move Heaven and Earth to find it again. If I only knew they would come storming after us, send my baby girl and I into hiding, I never would have even allowed myself to take the job.

Who am I kidding, I would've done it anyway.