The air hung heavy with the smell of chlorine and sugar as Molly and Bill crouched behind the inflatable giraffe. Bill scratched his nose, his eyes glued to the chaotic scene before them. Kids, hopped up on cake and juice, ricocheted around an inflatable castle, their shrieks occasionally punctuated by a desperate parental plea for them to “calm down before someone loses an eye.” A mountain of brightly wrapped presents sat enticingly beneath a banner proclaiming ‘Happy 5th Birthday, Max!’ in offensively cheerful colours. “Are you sure this is the right place, Moll?” Bill whispered, his voice heavy with doubt. Molly rolled her eyes, expertly plucking a stray piece of tinsel from Bill’s impressive beard. “Of course it is. Max’s parents are loaded, remember? The Parkers. He’s the kid with the diamond-encrusted pacifier.” Bill shuddered. “Rich people are weird.” “Rich people are our meal ticket, my friend.” Molly adjusted the oversized duffel bag slung across her chest. “And speaking of meal tickets, are you ready? I told you to lay off the donuts this morning, Bill. You’re moving like a beached whale in that penguin costume.” Bill, struggling to maintain his balance on the uneven grass in the oversized penguin suit, mumbled something about “needing his fuel.” “Right, because nothing says ‘undercover operative’ like a sweaty penguin with crumbs down his front,” Molly said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She gave a sharp whistle, pulling a red, helium-filled balloon shaped like a fire engine from the bag. Bill’s eyes widened in alarm. “Molly, you said no distractions! What if it pops? You know how jumpy kids are-“ “Relax, will you? It’s part of the plan,” she interrupted, giving him a reassuring pat on the head. The movement sent a shower of glitter raining down from her own disguise – a towering cupcake costume complete with a strategically placed cherry on top. Before Bill could protest further, Molly released the balloon. It shot into the air with surprising speed, trailing its string like a crimson beacon. Instantly, chaos ensued. The children, drawn to the rogue balloon like moths to a flame, abandoned their games and charged after it, a tidal wave of sticky fingers and boundless energy. Taking advantage of the distraction, Molly gave Bill a swift kick. “Go, you magnificent penguin! Our fortune awaits!”