Molly leaned against the graffiti-covered wall, her eyes darting back and forth as she watched for any signs of trouble. Bill sauntered up, hands in his pockets, whistling a jaunty tune. "Took you long enough," Molly hissed. Bill shrugged. "Relax, we've got plenty of time. The party doesn't start for another hour." "That's not the point. We need to go over the plan again." "What's there to go over? We sneak in, grab the loot, and make a run for it. Easy peasy." Molly rolled her eyes. "You're oversimplifying things, as usual. We need to be precise." "Fine, fine. What's your grand scheme, then?" "Okay, listen up. We arrive at the party disguised as clowns." Bill snorted. "Clowns? Seriously?" "Yes, clowns. It's a children's party, remember? We'll blend right in." "If you say so. But I draw the line at face paint." "No face paint, just big red noses and ridiculous wigs. Anyway, once we're inside, we need to locate the gift table." "And then we stuff our pockets full of presents?" "No, you idiot. We can't just grab everything at once. We need to be subtle." Bill crossed his arms. "I'm listening." "We mingle, entertain the kids, maybe do some balloon animals or something." "Balloon animals? I don't know how to make balloon animals!" "Then learn! It's not rocket science. While one of us distracts the crowd, the other sneaks presents into our oversized clown pants." "Oversized clown pants? This just keeps getting better and better." "Do you want the score or not?" Bill sighed. "Fine, continue." "Once we've got a decent haul, we make our exit. But here's the tricky part: we can't leave together." "Why not?" "Because two clowns arriving together and leaving together with bulging pants might raise suspicion." "Fair point. So, what's the escape plan?" "I'll leave first, claiming I have another gig. You stay behind for another fifteen minutes, then make your exit." "And where do we meet up afterwards?" "The abandoned warehouse on 5th and Main. We'll divide the loot there." Bill nodded slowly. "Alright, I have to admit, it's not a bad plan. But what if something goes wrong?" "Like what?" "I don't know. What if one of the kids recognizes us?" Molly laughed. "How would a kid recognize us? We're not exactly celebrities." "You never know. Kids are smarter than you think." "Fine. If something goes wrong, we abort the mission. No hesitation, no heroics. Just get out of there as fast as you can." "Got it. Anything else I should know?" "Yeah, don't eat any of the cake. We're there to steal, not snack." Bill pouted. "Aw, come on. Not even a little slice?" "No cake!" "Alright, alright. No cake. But I'm keeping any good toys we find." Molly sighed. "Fine, whatever. Just don't let it slow you down." "Deal. So, when do we start?" "Meet me back here in thirty minutes with your clown costume. And for heaven's sake, try to look cheerful. You're supposed to be entertaining children, not robbing a bank." "I'll do my best, but I'm not promising any award-winning performances." "Just don't screw this up, Bill. It's the easiest job we've had in months." "Easy for you to say. You're not the one who has to learn balloon animals in half an hour."