Run: 2026-02-24-01KJ8V2PZ2KNETQQD8J5SGXA4M

The warehouse was cold, but the glow from the laptop illuminated Molly’s face with a zealous light. Blueprints were taped to a rolling whiteboard, not of a bank vault, but of a suburban backyard. Bill stared, a half-eaten donut suspended in his hand. “This,” Molly announced, tapping the screen, “is the target. The Henderson residence. Saturday, 2 PM. A six-year-old’s birthday party.” Bill slowly finished his donut. “You’ve lost it. The last job was a jewelry store.” “And it had lasers, Bill! Lasers! This has a bounce house. It’s a lateral move. Now, the primary objective is the gift table, here, under the oak tree. Secondary objective is the cash from the card pile, usually on the kitchen counter near the gluten-free cupcakes.” “What’s our exit strategy? Fleeing on a Big Wheel?” “We blend in,” Molly said, pulling two garish costumes from a duffel. “I’ll be ‘Sunny the Clown.’ You’ll be my assistant, ‘Bubbles.’” Bill held up the tiny, sparkly vest. “I’m not ‘Bubbles.’ And I don’t do balloon animals.” “You won’t have to. Your job is to create a diversion at the piñata strike. I’ve calculated the sugar-high crash window will be around 3:15 PM. That’s when you trigger the incident.” “What incident?” “The great ‘Clown Nose Mishap.’” She held up a large, red foam nose. “I’ve rigged it with a small smoke pellet. You ‘sneeze,’ it pops, releases smoke and a confetti burst. While the little monsters are confused, I sweep the gifts into my oversized clown car, which will be parked by the side gate.” Bill rubbed his temples. “The loot. It’s gonna be Lego sets and stuffed unicorns.” “And cash, Bill! Modern parents give cash. Also, high-end educational toys. We fence the electronics to that guy in the alley behind the comic shop. He’s got a nephew.” “What about the parents? The dads in polo shirts talking about grills?” “Distracted. Always distracted. One will be manning the grill, arguing with propane. Another will be trying to assemble a ‘some assembly required’ rocket ship. The mothers will be in a circle discussing school districts. They are not a threat. The only real variable is the birthday boy himself, one ‘Liam.’ He’s described as ‘spirited.’” “A six-year-old?” “Intel suggests he bites. That’s why you get the nose. He goes for the shiny thing.” Molly pointed to a detailed schedule. “We go in at 2:30, perform for twenty minutes, execute the diversion at 3:15, exfiltrate by 3:30. We’re back here counting small, unmarked bills by four.” Bill stared at the blueprint, then at the clown wig. “The plan is airtight. It’s also the most depressing thing I’ve ever heard.” “It’s a heist, Bill. The stakes are lower, but the percentage is higher. No alarms, no guards, just cake and chaos. What do you say?” A long silence followed, broken only by the drip of a distant pipe. Bill sighed, reaching for the sparkly vest. “Do I have to be Bubbles? Can I be like, ‘Blasto’ or something?” “Bubbles is non-negotiable. It’s on the waiver.”