Bill shuffled into the cramped apartment, his eyes scanning the dimly lit room for his partner in (potential) crime, Molly. She was hunched over a rickety card table, her fiery red hair cascading over her freckled cheeks as she pored over a tattered map, a cigarette dangling precariously from her lips. "Whatcha got there, Mol?" Bill asked, sauntering over and plopping himself down on a threadbare couch, a relic from their landlord's more opulent days. "The plan, Bill. The beautiful, brilliant plan." She straightened up, her emerald eyes sparkling with a mix of mischief and enthusiasm. "We're going to a children's party." Bill's face scrunched up in confusion. "A kids' party? You drag me away from my favorite soap opera for a kids' party?" "Not just any party, Bill." She leaned in, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. "A party with presents. Lots and lots of presents." Bill's confusion morphed into realization, then excitement. "You don't mean—?" "That's right, Bill. We're going to swipe every last one of those gifts." Molly's eyes gleamed at the thought of the loot. "Think about it: kids are easy targets. They'll be too busy eating cake and playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey to notice us slipping away with their goodies." "But how do we know there'll be good stuff?" Bill asked, scratching his stubbly chin. "Could be all dolls and tea sets." "We don't, but it's a chance we have to take." She pointed to a spot on the map. "This party is in one of the richest neighborhoods in town. You know those kids will get the latest gadgets, fancy jewelry, maybe even some cold hard cash. It's a goldmine, Bill, and we're going to strike it rich." Bill rubbed his hands together, a devious grin spreading across his face. "All right, Mol. I'm in. When do we strike?" "Sunset. We'll have the cover of dusk, but enough light to see our haul." She took a drag of her cigarette, the tip glowing momentarily in the dim room. "We'll need disguises, of course. Something that'll help us blend in but also make a quick escape." Bill's eyes widened as an idea struck him. "I've got just the thing. My cousin owes me a favor; he's got a pair of clowns he uses for kids' parties. Big shoes, red noses, the works. No one will suspect a couple of goofy clowns." Molly burst out laughing, a raspy cackle that filled the room. "Oh, Bill, that's perfect! We'll be the life of the party and the laughing thieves of the century!" As the sun dipped below the horizon, two clowns, with wild red hair and fake, toothy grins, sauntered into the children's party, their eyes gleaming with mischief and their pockets soon to be overflowing with stolen treasures.