Run: 2026-02-17-01KHNFP7VKWNWZZMEZ241Z3FYW

At eight minutes before the children's party at the Hendersons' backyard, the sky was a pastel swirl of cake‑frosting pink, bright, and a giant inflatable dragon squatted like a rubber sentinel beside the bounce house. Molly perched on a plastic crate, her sunglasses reflecting the chaotic décor, and scribbled a sketchy plan on the back of a pizza flyer. Bill, a lopsided clown wig sliding over his eyes, hunched over a crayon‑drawn map of the yard, tracing a path to the mountain of gifts with the intensity of a general plotting a coup. The air smelled of sugar and anticipation, and the distant thump of a bass‑heavy birthday playlist hinted that the heist would have to be quick. Molly: "I'll masquerade as the magician's assistant, swap his hat for a bag of loot while he fumbles with cards." Bill: "And I'll be the clown, but I want the confetti cannon loaded. When I squeeze the nose, it'll cover the table for three seconds." Molly: "Three seconds is enough. The parents will think it's part of the show, the kids will cheer, and we grab the gifts." Bill: "What about the cake? It's a castle, guarded like a fortress. We can't just ignore it." Molly: "The cake is a distraction. We'll swap it for a dummy one after we clear the presents. Nobody checks the frosting." Bill: "And if the hostess asks for a receipt? We have a fake flyer. 'Sparkle Squad – Unlicensed Party Planners.'" Molly: "If anyone asks, we claim the Hendersons hired us. We'll slip out before the song ends." Bill: "Alright, I'm in. But if we get caught, I'm blaming the wig." Molly: "Deal. Let's move, the cake is about to be cut." Bill: "What about the balloons? I can fill them with helium and tie a note that says 'Congratulations' to distract the kids while we slip the gifts out." Molly: "And I'll grab the extra goody bags, swapping them with empty ones. The kids will be too busy comparing the treats to notice." Bill: "Just remember, once the music stops, we have exactly thirty seconds before the parents start gathering leftovers. That’s our window." Molly: "We'll need a quick get‑away car parked around the corner, engine running, to haul the haul." They slipped out of the shadows, shoes crunching on streamer scraps, and merged with the crowd of juice‑box‑wielding parents. The backyard blazed with paper lanterns and a bouncy dragon that hissed softly in the evening wind. With a synchronised nod, Molly slipped behind the magician's table while Bill squeezed the clown nose, sending a cascade of glitter across the gift pile. The birthday song swelled, the kids cheered, and in a blur of confetti and squeals the presents vanished into hidden sacks. When the cake was cut, the plates were full of empty boxes, and the thieves were already half a block away, the trunk of their sedan rattling with the clatter of stolen loot. The night ended with laughter, and the loot glimmered in the back seat.