Run: 2026-02-20-01KHYAAV4G0P6MCCRRXNNAQ7T6

“Right, so lemme get this straight,” Bill said, meticulously polishing his glasses with a slightly grubby handkerchief. “We’re breaking into a *birthday party*?” Molly rolled her eyes, already fiddling with a ridiculous amount of brightly coloured hairpins. “It’s not ‘breaking in’ Bill, it’s ‘strategic present acquisition’. And yes. Seven-year-old Timmy’s going to have a very minimalist birthday.” “Strategic present acquisition? You’re giving this a whole new level of… pretension, even for you, Molly.” “Look, the intel is solid. Timmy’s parents are loaded, they're throwing a party at that bouncy castle place, and apparently, the gift haul is legendary. We're talking a miniature pony's worth of Lego.” Bill blinked. “A miniature pony’s worth? That’s…specific.” “It means a lot, Bill. A *lot*. Enough to finally get that speedboat we talked about.” “The one with the ejector seat?” “The very one! Now, focus. The plan is simple. You create a diversion. Something… distracting.” “Distracting like… juggling chainsaws?” Molly gave him a withering look. “No. Distracting like pretending to be a particularly enthusiastic magician’s assistant. They hired ‘Amazing Al’ which, let's be honest, is setting the bar pretty low. You just need to look helpful and slightly clumsy.” “Helpful and clumsy. That’s basically my default setting.” He sighed. “And what are *you* doing while I’m dodging poorly aimed rabbits?” “I'm going in. The presents are all going to be in the back room, under the guise of ‘safe keeping’. I’ll use the old lock-picking trick, grab the goods, and we’re outta there.” “The ‘old lock-picking trick’ which, last time I checked, involved a bobby pin, a paperclip and a lot of muttered swearing?” “Details, details. It works! Look, timing is everything. Amazing Al does his grand finale - the disappearing hamster - and that’s our cue. Maximum chaos, minimal attention.” “Disappearing hamster… oh, this is getting better and better.” Bill chuckled. "What if the hamster doesn't disappear?" “Then you create a bigger distraction. Pretend to faint. I don’t care. Just buy me time.” “Faint? I haven't fainted since I was twelve and Mrs. Periwinkle made liver and onions." "Bill. Focus. This is for the speedboat.” “Right. The speedboat. But what if Timmy's parents suspect something?" “They won’t. They’ll be too busy wondering how Amazing Al made a hamster vanish into thin air. Besides, who suspects a magician’s assistant and a slightly bewildered-looking gentleman?” “We're going to look ridiculous.” Molly grinned. “Exactly. Totally inconspicuous. It's foolproof, I tell you. Foolproof!”