Molly and Bill crouched behind a hedge, the sounds of a children's party just on the other side. Balloons bobbed in the breeze, and the distant sound of laughter and clinking cutlery filled the air. "Remember, we need to be quick and silent," whispered Molly, adjusting the strap of her backpack. "No messing around." "When do I ever mess around?" Bill replied with a grin. Molly shot him a look. "Do I need to remind you about the time you tried to juggle the crown jewels?" “Hey, that was one time, and it was a dare,” Bill argued. “Besides, it’s not my fault they were so... round.” Molly rolled her eyes. "Focus, Bill. We’ve got a narrow window of opportunity. In and out, got it?" "Got it." Bill peeked through the leaves. "Any ideas on how we get past the clown?" Molly pulled a lollipop from her pocket and unwrapped it. "Leave that to me." She took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the hedge, strolling casually towards the party area. She made sure to trip dramatically over her own feet. The clown, juggling brightly colored pins, saw her and rushed over, his red nose honking. “Whoa there, little lady! You okay?” Molly feigned embarrassment, giggling nervously. “Oh, I’m so clumsy! Guess I tripped over a rainbow or something!” She giggled again, batting her eyelashes. “I was just looking for the bathroom. Think you could point me in the right direction?” As the clown turned to gesture towards a nearby tent, Bill slipped past, darting behind a bouncy castle. Molly excused herself and followed suit. Once they were both concealed behind the inflated castle, Molly whispered, “Nice work. Now for the presents.” Bill rubbed his hands together. “I like the way you think, Molls. Let’s see what the birthday boy has under that tree.” They crept towards the large pile of gifts stacked under a brightly decorated tree. Molly pulled a small tool kit from her bag. “Okay, here’s the plan. We grab the biggest, most expensive-looking presents and go. Small, quiet, and fast.” Bill’s eyes lit up as he inspected the glittering packages. “Ooh, look at that one! It’s got a bow bigger than my head!” Molly slapped his hand lightly. “Focus, Bill.” She started carefully untying the ribbon on the largest gift, her fingers nimble and sure. Suddenly, a small voice called out, “Hi there!” Molly and Bill froze. A little girl with pigtails stood nearby, holding a plate of cookies. “Whatcha doing?” Molly forced a smile. “Oh, hi there! We’re just... checking if these presents are... safe. Yep, safe presents.” The little girl tilted her head. “Safe presents?” Bill laughed nervously, ruffling the girl’s hair. “Yeah, you know, like... making sure no bad guys got to them first. We’re the good guys. Heh.” The girl considered this for a moment, then smiled brightly. “Want a cookie? They’re shaped like dinosaurs.” Molly took a cookie and smiled warmly. “Thanks, sweetheart. You know what? We’ve gotta go tell... our boss these presents are safe. You stay here, okay?” She grabbed Bill’s arm and pulled him away, still juggling the large present. They found a quiet corner to stash it in. “That was close,” Bill murmured, wiping sweat from his brow. “Too close,” Molly agreed. “We’ve got to be quicker. Grab three more and let’s scram.” They dashed back to the tree, snatched three more presents, and quickly slipped away from the party, moving as quietly as possible. As they reached the safety of the woods beyond, both of them breathed a sigh of relief. “Not a bad haul,” Bill noted, grinning from ear to ear. “We’ll make serious dough off these.” Molly nodded, catching her breath. “Another successful day at the office. Let’s get out of here before anyone notices.” As they disappeared into the trees, the sound of children’s laughter still echoed in the distance, mingling with the honking of the clueless clown.