“So, the target is a bouncy castle, Bill?” Molly asked, a brow raised in disbelief. Bill, ever the enthusiast, clapped his hands together. “Precisely, princess! A fortress of inflatable joy, a veritable treasure trove inside its vinyl walls.” “And the treasure, Bill, the treasure?” Molly prodded, tapping her foot. “Presents, my dear Molly, presents! A veritable mountain of them, destined for the grubby hands of seven-year-olds who won’t appreciate their true worth.” Molly sighed. “You know, for a man who claims to be a master of shadow and subterfuge, your targets are getting increasingly... adorable.” “Adorable means less security, Molly. Think about it. Who expects a crack team of highly skilled professionals to infiltrate a princess-themed birthday bash?” “A princess-themed birthday bash, Bill?” Molly’s voice was dangerously low. “Yes! And a very exclusive one at that. Only the créme de la créme of the pre-teen set will be in attendance. Which means the presents are probably top-tier. I’m thinking drone toys, maybe even one of those new hoverboards.” “You’re telling me,” Molly began, pinching the bridge of her nose, “our next score involves me in… what exactly?” Bill grinned. “Excellent question! I’ve taken the liberty of securing a rather fetching Cinderella costume for you. You’ll blend right in.” Molly stared blankly. “A Cinderella costume. For a heist.” “Think of it as advanced camouflage! No one suspects the princess. While you’re charming the guards—er, parents—with your royal sparkle, I’ll be in the back, disguised as… well, I haven’t quite settled on my role yet. Maybe a disgruntled clown? A surprisingly agile party magician?” “A disgruntled clown. So I’m Cinderella, and you’re Pennywise’s lesser-known, less-terrifying cousin?” “He’s not terrifying at all, Molly. He just wants to enjoy the party and make sure everyone has a good time before he secures the loot.” “The loot being children’s presents, Bill.” “They’ll just get more, Molly. These are rich kids! They get a new bike every other Tuesday.” “And what’s the exit strategy, Bill? Do we make a dramatic escape down the slide of the bouncy castle, presents tucked under our arms, scattering glitter as we go?” Bill’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s brilliant, Molly! I hadn’t even thought of the glitter. We *must* incorporate glitter. It adds a certain theatricality, don’t you think? Diverts attention. Blinds the enemy!” “The enemy being a group of sugar-fueled first graders, Bill.” “Precisely! They’ll never know what hit them. We’ll be in and out like a mischievous gust of wind, leaving behind nothing but happy memories and a slightly depleted gift table.” Molly pinched her temples again. “And you’ve scouted the location, obviously. Any dogs? Security cameras? Overly protective nannies?” “Just a very enthusiastic golden retriever named Sparky who I’ve already bribed with ham. And the security cameras are mostly for capturing cute moments of cake smashing. The biggest threat is probably Mrs. Henderson, the host. She’s rather particular about her themed parties.” “So, to recap,” Molly said, her voice laced with weary sarcasm, “our target is a bouncy castle, I’m Cinderella, you’re a soon-to-be-determined party entertainer, we’re stealing presents from seven-year-olds, and our biggest obstacle is Mrs. Henderson’s party etiquette.” Bill beamed. “You’ve got it, Molly! See? This is going to be our most charming heist yet!” Molly just shook her head. “One day, Bill, one day you’re going to get us arrested for grand theft confectionery.”