As they cased the playground, Molly snickered at the painted-on smile of the "Happy Birthday" banner flapping in the breeze. Bill grunted, more concerned with the layout of the fenced-in area. "Alright, so we got the gift table on the left, and the piñata on the right," Molly said, sketching it out on a crumpled up napkin. "The cake's up front, but it's got a bunkered display case. We're gonna have to navigate through the sandbox to get to it." Bill furrowed his brow, "What's the point of the sandbox?" "Mmm, because nothing says 'hiding spot' like a giant pile of dirt," Molly quipped, waving her hand dismissively. "Seriously though, we need to check for tripwires, and—" "Just lead the way, Mel," Bill interrupted, using his affectionate pet name for Molly. "I trust you've done your research." "Oh, I've done way more research than that," Molly said, wrapping her ponytail behind her ear. "We've got multiple exit routes planned out, and the mini-stage in the corner can double as a chokepoint. That thing can become a barricade faster than you can say 'Ring-around-the-rosy'." Bill chuckled, "Come on, Molls. You wouldn't really plan a heist around a nursery rhyme, would you?" "Hey, there's method in that madness," Molly defensively explained, crossing her arms. "We need something cohesive, something that gives us an edge. And trust me, I've thought this through. We got a hunch one of the parents might smuggle in some high-dollar gifts. If we can blend in with the chaos and snag the hot items—" "It sounds like a recipe for disaster," Bill interrupted dryly. "It's art," Molly retorted. "Improvisational art. Like fencing at the Met, but instead of valuable twirly Vesabelona Links necklaces, we're fighting for Hot Wheels and playstations." Bill couldn't help but grin at Molly's hyperbolic image, though his weary expression slowly returned. "Alright, just don't get us all killed in some impossible musical chairs battle." "Music to my ears," Molly squealed, briefly disguising her knuckle cracking, letting icy air slip through.