The air hung thick with the cloying scent of sugar and the frantic, high-pitched squeals of children. Molly, clad in a shocking pink dress and a matching headband with a giant plastic butterfly, surveyed the scene from behind a curtain. She felt like a giant, brightly colored moth caught in a kindergarten classroom. “What’s the plan, Bill?” she whispered, her voice barely audible above the cacophony. Bill, disguised as a nervous-looking parent clutching a plastic bag overflowing with balloons, gave her a thumbs-up. “Operation Sugar Rush is a go,” he whispered back. “Remember, we’re after the presents, not the kids. We’re not stealing their birthday joy, just their…well, stuff.” “Right, right,” Molly muttered, her eyes darting around the room. The party was in full swing, kids bouncing off the walls like over-caffeinated puppies. A giant inflatable bouncy castle stood proudly in the corner, a testament to the sheer excess of the modern birthday party. “Go find the present table,” Bill whispered, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I’ll handle the distraction.” Molly nodded and slipped through the gap in the curtains, blending into the colorful chaos. She weaved through a throng of giggling children, their sticky hands reaching for her. “Excuse me, little ones,” she said, trying to sound sweet as she pushed past them. “Looking for…the punch bowl. Anyone seen it?” “Over there!” a little girl with a pink unicorn on her shirt pointed to a table overflowing with colorful sweets and juice boxes. Molly smiled politely and moved towards the table, her eyes scanning for the present table. It was just past the bouncy castle, obscured by a giant balloon arch. “Gotcha,” she whispered. Moments later, Bill’s voice cut through the din. “Code Red! Code Red!” Molly turned to see Bill struggling with a runaway clown. The clown, a portly, sweaty man with exaggerated makeup, was attempting to ride the bouncy castle and failing miserably. Children shrieked in delirious laughter. “Looks like your distraction’s working a little too well,” Molly murmured, then turned back to the present table. She saw her chance and swooped in, grabbing a bulging bag of presents and tossing it over her shoulder. “This is going to be the easiest heist ever!” she whispered to herself, her heart pounding with reckless excitement. She looked back to see Bill caught in a game of “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” with a group of gleeful children. “Oh, Bill,” she sighed. “This is going to be a long night.”