Molly and Bill crouched behind a row of bushes, peering through the leaves at the chaos unfolding in the backyard. Balloons bobbed in the breeze, and children ran around with sticky faces and sugar-fueled energy. A large table in the center was piled high with brightly wrapped presents. "Alright, Bill, what's the plan?" Molly whispered, her eyes fixed on the mountain of gifts. Bill adjusted his ski mask, which was entirely unnecessary in broad daylight but added a certain flair. "First, we blend in. Act like we belong. You know, smile, wave, maybe even grab a slice of cake." Molly raised an eyebrow. "You want us to eat cake at a children's party we're robbing?" "Think about it," Bill said, grinning. "Who would suspect someone enjoying cake? It's the perfect cover." Molly sighed. "Fine. But if I get frosting on my gloves, you're cleaning it off." "Deal," Bill said, extending his hand. Molly shook it, rolling her eyes. They stood up and casually walked toward the party, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. A little girl in a princess dress ran up to them, her eyes wide with excitement. "Are you here for the party?" she asked, bouncing on her toes. "Absolutely," Bill said, bending down to her level. "We're, uh, friends of the birthday boy." The girl giggled. "I'm the birthday girl! My name's Emily." Molly forced a smile. "Happy birthday, Emily. Where's the cake?" Emily pointed to a table laden with sugary treats. "Over there! But you have to play a game first." Bill's eyes widened. "A game?" "Yeah! Pin the tail on the donkey. Come on!" Emily grabbed their hands and dragged them toward the game area. Molly leaned in and whispered, "This wasn't part of the plan." "Adapt and overcome," Bill muttered back. They found themselves blindfolded and handed paper tails. Molly stumbled forward, trying to find the donkey poster. She pinned the tail on a tree trunk instead. "Close enough," she muttered, pulling off the blindfold. Bill, meanwhile, had managed to pin his tail on another kid's back. The children erupted in laughter, and Bill took a dramatic bow. "Thank you, thank you," he said, winking at Molly. Emily clapped her hands. "You guys are funny! Now you can have cake." They made their way to the cake table, where Molly discreetly scanned the area. "Alright, Bill, the presents are right there. How do we get them out without anyone noticing?" Bill took a bite of cake, thinking. "We need a distraction. Something big." Molly's eyes lit up. "What about the piñata? We could make it explode or something." Bill nodded slowly. "Not bad. But how do we make it explode?" Molly pulled a small firecracker from her pocket. "Always come prepared." Bill grinned. "You’re a genius. Okay, let's do this." They waited until the kids gathered around the piñata. Molly slipped the firecracker inside while Bill kept watch. With a quick flick of a match, Molly lit the fuse and stepped back. "Everyone ready?" she called out, trying to sound enthusiastic. The kids cheered, and just as the first bat swung, the firecracker went off with a loud pop. Candy and confetti flew everywhere, and the children screamed in delight. "Now!" Bill hissed. They darted to the present table, scooping up as many gifts as they could carry. In the chaos, no one noticed the two thieves making their escape. As they reached the safety of the bushes, Molly looked back at the party. "You know, that was almost fun." Bill laughed. "Almost? It was a blast. Literally." Molly shook her head, smiling. "Let's get out of here before they realize what happened." They disappeared into the neighborhood, leaving behind a trail of laughter and confusion.