Molly cased the perimeter of the lavishly decorated backyard, her eyes darting between the bouncy castle and the towering pile of presents adorned with ribbons and bows. She turned to Bill, who was nonchalantly munching on a slice of pizza pilfered from a nearby table. "You know, Bill, this isn't exactly what I had in mind when I said we should target the one percent," Molly whispered, adjusting her clown wig. Bill, in full magician regalia, complete with a top hat and cape, shrugged. "Kid's parties are where the real money's at. Besides, who's gonna suspect the entertainment?" Molly rolled her eyes. "Right, because clowns and magicians are so inconspicuous. We're one 'abracadabra' away from a toddler exposé." "Trust me, Mol," Bill said, waving a wand with a flourish. "I've got a plan. We'll be in and out before you can say 'presto change-o.'" "I'm all ears," Molly replied, leaning against a balloon arch. Bill grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "We'll wait until the kids are all preoccupied with the clown act—which, by the way, will be stellar—then, during the chaos of the cake cutting, we swoop in, grab the goods, and vanish." "And what about the parents? You think they won't notice two adults making off with a mountain of loot?" Molly asked, skeptical. "Ah, but that's where the real magic happens," Bill said, tapping his nose. "I've rigged a distraction. A series of harmless but extremely distracting illusions will keep their eyes off the prize." Molly raised an eyebrow. "What kind of illusions?" "Let's just say a levitating pony and a talking tree should do the trick," Bill said with a wink. Molly let out a low whistle. "You've been holding out on me, Bill. Where'd you get a talking tree?" "I've got my sources," Bill said, his voice full of mystery. "Now, we just need to synchronize our watches. When I give the signal, you start herding the kiddos towards the bouncy castle, and I'll handle the rest." "Okay, but if this goes south, I'm not doing time for grand larceny in a clown costume," Molly warned, her finger wagging. "Relax, Molly. This is a victimless crime. The kids get entertained, the parents get a story to tell, and we get to fund our early retirement," Bill reassured her, patting her shoulder. Molly sighed, looking at the joyous chaos around her. "Fine, but if any of these kids starts crying, we're out. I have my limits." "Deal," Bill agreed, extending a hand for a firm shake. "Now, let's go put on the performance of a lifetime." As the party reached its crescendo, Molly and Bill took their positions. Molly, with a painted-on smile, began togather the children, leading them in a raucous game of duck-duck-goose. Meanwhile, Bill took center stage, his voice booming over the crowd as he prepared his grand distraction. The moment the cake was presented, Bill's illusions came to life. Gasps of delight and awe erupted from the adults as the pony seemingly lifted off the ground and the tree began to recite limericks. Amid the wonder and confusion, Molly made her move, her oversized clown shoes padding silently towards the gifts. With the precision of a seasoned pro, she began to stuff presents into an oversized, bottomless clown bag, the toys disappearing as if by magic. Bill, with a sly smile, continued his performance, keeping the crowd mesmerized. As the last gift vanished into the bag, Molly looked over at Bill, who gave her a subtle nod. It was time to make their exit. With a final bow, Bill made his grand finale, disappearing in a puff of smoke, leaving behind nothing but laughter and the lingering question, "How did he do that?" Molly slipped away, blending into the crowd of partygoers. Within moments, she was by Bill's side, the loot safely stashed in their getaway car parked just around the corner. "I can't believe that actually worked," Molly said, her laughter mingling with the distant sounds of the party. "Told you it would be a piece of cake," Bill replied, tipping his hat with a triumphant grin. Together, they drove off into the sunset, the sound of their laughter fading into the afternoon as they left behind a backyard of bewildered adults and blissfully unaware children, their perfect heist complete.