Molly tapped a finger on the glossy invitation spread across their coffee table. "Alright, let's review the ingress points." "Is that the one with the cartoon pirate on it?" "It’s the blueprint, Bill. And yes. Now, the party kicks off at two, but target acquisition isn't viable until at least three-fifteen." "Why so late?" "Because that’s the post-magician lull. The kids are hopped up on sugar but dazed from the subpar illusions. It's the perfect window of parental distraction." "Subpar? How do you know?" "It's 'Magic Mike's Miraculous Mayhem.' His main trick is pulling a droopy-looking rabbit out of a top hat. We're not dealing with a master of misdirection here." "Okay, so three-fifteen. What’s my cover?" "I’ve given this a lot of thought. You are not, under any circumstances, going as a clown." "But the oversized shoes are perfect for concealing retrieval equipment!" "They're also perfect for tripping over a toddler and bringing the whole operation down around our ears. No. You're going in clean. You're 'Fun Uncle Barry'." "Fun Uncle Barry? That sounds so pedestrian." "Fun Uncle Barry gets to loiter by the gift pile, Bill. Fun Uncle Barry can 'helpfully' move all the presents into one, easily transportable sack to 'make space for the cake'. See?" "A social engineering play. I like it. Cunning. What's your role?" "I'm on overwatch. And I'm the getaway driver." "The van?" "The van. I'll be parked two houses down, disguised as a mobile dog grooming service." "Brilliant. No one looks twice at 'Pooch Perfect.' Now, what about security? I’m talking about the dad. Dave. He’s a wild card. Barbecues with a frightening intensity." "Dave will be neutralized." "You're not going to hurt Dave!" "I'm going to engage him in a conversation about the merits of charcoal versus gas grilling. He’ll be locked in for at least ten minutes. That's your window." "Diabolical. Okay, so I slip in as Barry, you neutralize Dave, I consolidate the assets. What could go wrong?" "The bouncy castle." "The bouncy castle is an obstacle?" "It’s a seven-foot-high inflatable fortress positioned directly between the patio and the gift table. It’s a visual and physical obstruction." "I could try to go over it." "You are not going over the bouncy castle." "But think of the entrance I'd make!" "Think of the spinal injury you’d get. You go around. Stick to the planned route behind the azalea bushes. In, gifts, out. Clean and simple." "Right, right. No heroics. There’s just one more thing." "What?" "The cake. The blueprint says it's a dinosaur-shaped ice cream cake." "The cake is not part of the objective, Bill." "But it’s a *dinosaur*. A stegosaurus, to be precise. That’s a high-value dessert asset." "Leave the cake, Bill." "It just seems like a waste."