Run: 2026-02-24-01KJ8WKJVQPCERW75HR9K3QPBX

Molly unrolled the crayon-drawn map across the hood of the van and stabbed her finger at a lopsided rectangle labeled "BOUNCY CASTLE." "Entry point," she said. Bill squinted at the map. "Is that a drawing of a dog or the security guard?" "That's the birthday boy. Focus." "He has a tail." "He has a cape. It's a superhero party, Bill. Keep up." Molly pulled her black turtleneck up over her chin even though it was eighty-two degrees outside. "Now, the presents are stacked in the northeast corner of the backyard. We go in during the piñata segment. Maximum chaos, minimum supervision." Bill nodded slowly. "What are we talking about? Loot-wise." "Three LEGO sets, two remote-control cars, what I'm told is a very premium art kit, and a stuffed giraffe so large it has its own zip code." "I don't want the giraffe." "Nobody wants the giraffe, Bill. We take the giraffe anyway. We leave the giraffe, someone triangulates our whole operation." Bill leaned against the van and crossed his arms. "And the cake? Are we taking the cake?" Molly stared at him for a long moment. "Why would we take the cake?" "It smells incredible from here." "We are not taking the cake. We are professionals." She paused. "We might take two slices. But that is strictly off the books." "What about the party favors?" "What about them?" "Little bags. Candy. Tiny plastic toys. Could add up." "Could you hear yourself right now?" Molly rolled up the map. "We are not looting the favor bags from a seven-year-old's birthday party." "We're stealing his presents." "That is entirely different and I don't have time to explain the moral architecture of this operation to you right now." Bill picked up his clipboard, which had a cartoon balloon sticker on it left over from a previous job. "What's my cover identity?" "You're an uncle." "Which uncle?" "A vague one. Everybody has a vague uncle. You came from out of town. You can't remember how you're related. You brought no gift because you forgot and you feel terrible." "That's very believable, actually." "I know. I based it on you." Molly checked her watch. "Piñata goes up in eleven minutes. We park on Sycamore, we blend in near the folding table, and when the blindfold goes on that kid, we move fast and we move quiet." "And if someone spots us?" "You cry." "I'm not going to cry at a child's birthday party, Molly." "Then you laugh. Loudly. Like one of those uncles." Bill considered this. "I can do that." "Good." Molly slid on a pair of enormous novelty sunglasses that somehow made her look more suspicious than before. "Let's go ruin a beautiful day."