Molly surveyed the bouncy castle, a vibrant purple monstrosity that pulsed with the energy of a thousand tiny, sugar-fueled bodies. “So, the target is the present table, right?” Bill, chewing on a a half-eaten lollipop he’d pilfered from a distracted toddler, squinted through the throng of parents armed with iPads. “Yep. Near the petting zoo. Avoid the goats, they’re surprisingly bitey.” “No kidding. Last time, I lost a perfectly good crowbar to a hungry fainting goat.” Molly adjusted her oversized clown shoes. “Okay, so I’ll go in as Professor Wigglebottom, the Balloon Animal Maestro. Distraction primary. You?” “I’m El Magnifico, the Magician,” Bill said, pulling a surprisingly realistic rubber chicken from his oversized sleeve. “I’ll be charming the socks off the parents while I charm the presents into my bottomless bag.” A shriek pierced the air as a small boy launched himself from the bouncy castle, narrowly missing a strategically placed plastic flamingo. “Looks like we’re on,” Molly muttered, already practicing a particularly aggressive balloon dog. “Just don’t let the magician disappear *before* the presents do.” Bill grinned, the lollipop stick still protruding from his lips. “Never. Besides, who wouldn’t want a magical disappearing act for their birthday?”