Bill adjusted the clown nose perched precariously on his own bulbous nose, the red plastic a stark contrast to his pale, freckled face. "So," he said, tucking his chin down into the collar of his oversized, striped shirt, "how are we going to get past the bouncy castle?" Molly, clad in a lime green tutu and a floral headband, chuckled, a delicate sound that belied the steel in her eyes. "The bouncy castle is our cover, Bill. We're the entertainment." Bill blinked, his eyebrows shooting up. "We're gonna be clowns?" "Not clowns, Bill, *entertainers*." Molly rolled her eyes, the movement exaggerated by the sheer volume of her orange wig. "We'll do a little juggling, some balloon animals, then boom, we're in. The kids will be too busy begging for more 'magic tricks' to notice the presents disappearing." "But I don't know how to juggle," Bill whined, his voice a pathetic squeak. "You don't need to know how to juggle," Molly said, tossing him a pair of juggling pins. "Just hold them up, make some funny faces, and I'll handle the actual act. You're just… ambiance." Bill stared at the pins in his hand, his eyes wide. "Ambiance?" "Look," Molly said, pulling a wad of bills from her pocket. "Think of it this way, Bill, we're not just stealing presents, we're stealing the *joy* of the birthday party." Bill considered this, his nose crinkling up in thought. "So… like, we'll be stealing the joy from a bunch of kids?" Molly, already halfway out the door, paused, turning back to him with a raised eyebrow. "Bill, remember what we're here for. This is a professional operation. No time for existential crises. Now come on, we've got a birthday party to crash." As they navigated the throng of gleeful children and over-enthusiastic parents, Bill began to feel a knot of anxiety forming in his stomach. He wasn't sure what was more terrifying, the bouncy castle or the prospect of having to juggle in front of a crowd. But then he saw the mountain of presents stacked neatly under a table, their colorful wrapping paper a tempting invitation. This was it. This was why they were doing this. For the loot. For the glory. For the sheer joy of stealing the entire birthday haul. "Alright," he said, taking a deep breath and throwing his head back, his voice booming with newfound confidence. "Let's bring the house down!"