Run: 2026-02-20-01KHXPS298EMJEJQH6XAH47XSR

Molly adjusted the oversized sunglasses perched on her nose and squinted at the inflatable castle bouncing in the backyard. "You ever stolen from a kid’s party before, Bill?" Bill, balancing a tray of cupcakes he’d swiped from the kitchen, nearly dropped them. "No, but I’ve stolen *at* a kid’s party. That’s basically the same thing." Molly rolled her eyes. "How does that even work?" "Easy. You wait until the cake’s cut, then you ‘accidentally’ knock over the punch bowl. While everyone’s cleaning up, you pocket a few presents. Classic misdirection." Molly sighed. "We’re not here for a few presents. We’re here for *all* the presents." Bill set the cupcakes down on a nearby table, careful not to disturb the tower of wrapped boxes beneath it. "Right. So, what’s the plan?" Molly pulled out a folded map of the house. "The presents are in the living room, but the party’s in the backyard. We go in through the side door, grab the loot, and get out before the piñata’s even broken." Bill frowned. "What if the piñata’s already broken?" "Then we’re in trouble." "Fair." Molly pointed at the map. "The side door’s usually unlocked. Kids keep running in and out. We’ll slip in, load up, and—" "Wait," Bill interrupted. "What if there’s a parent inside?" Molly grinned. "Then we charm them." Bill raised an eyebrow. "You? Charm someone?" Molly gasped. "Excuse me, I have *plenty* of charm." "Yeah, the kind that gets you thrown out of places." Molly ignored him. "Look, just follow my lead. If anyone asks, we’re the magicians." Bill blinked. "The magicians?" "Sure. We’re here to perform a *vanishing act*." She gestured to the presents. "On these." Bill rubbed his temples. "This is the worst plan you’ve ever had." "Probably," Molly agreed. "But it’s the only one we’ve got." A loud crash echoed from the backyard, followed by the sound of children shrieking with delight. Bill groaned. "That’s the piñata." Molly grabbed his arm. "Time to move." They slipped through the side door, stepping carefully over a trail of glitter and discarded party hats. The living room was dim, the only light coming from a flickering disco ball in the corner. Bill whistled. "This place is a goldmine." Molly nodded. "Let’s not get greedy. Just the big boxes." Bill picked up a wrapped present the size of a small dog. "This one says ‘For Daddy.’" Molly snatched it from him. "All presents are for us now." They worked quickly, stuffing their bags with gifts. Just as they were about to leave, the door creaked open. A little girl in a sparkly dress stood there, clutching a half-eaten cupcake. "Are you the magicians?" Molly froze. "Uh. Yes. Yes, we are." The girl tilted her head. "But you’re not doing any magic." Bill, thinking fast, pulled a coin from his pocket and made it disappear. "Ta-da!" The girl gasped. "Do it again!" Molly grabbed Bill’s arm. "We have to go now. Important magic business." The girl pouted. "But you didn’t even take my present!" Molly hesitated, then handed her the "For Daddy" box. "Here. A gift from the magicians." The girl’s eyes lit up. "Thank you!" As they hurried out, Bill muttered, "We just gave away our loot." Molly shrugged. "It’s called *plausible deniability*." Bill groaned. "We’re terrible at this." Molly grinned. "But we’re *charming*."