Run: 2026-05-10-01KR93FPH4E26M6W0JGNEY1GZB

Molly adjusted her sparkly party hat and whispered, “Okay, Bill, are you sure this kids’ birthday bash is the right score? I mean, how many video games and gift cards can a room of screaming six-year-olds really have hidden?” Bill chuckled, checking the lock-pick tool in his tuxedo pocket. “Plenty, Molls. Trust me, these parents go crazy. Last year at little Timmy’s they wrapped up three drones and a brand-new Switch. We grab the loot while the magician distracts everybody with balloon animals.” Molly raised an eyebrow. “Balloon animals? How’s that supposed to work for us?” “Easy,” Bill said, “we slip in as the backup clowns. I’ve got the red nose and squirting flower ready. You distract the birthday boy by doing the limbo under the balloon arch, and when he’s on the floor I scoop the presents from behind the dessert table.” Molly smirked. “Limbo. Right. And what happens when some mom asks why the clown’s stealing her kid’s haul?” Bill shrugged. “We tell her it’s performance art. Kids love chaos anyway—remember when we dressed as elves at the holiday party and walked out with the entire karaoke machine?” Molly nodded, remembering the embarrassed dad chasing them down the driveway. “Okay, but we need a clean exit. The neighbor’s dog has a nasty bark, and I don’t want another police report filed by a toddler named Harper.” Bill patted the getaway tricycle hidden by the hedge. “We ride out on this Beauty, dump the presents into the van parked two streets over, then we’re gone before anyone finishes their juice boxes.” Molly frowned. “What if one of the moms recognizes me from the PTA bake-sale heist I ran last month?” Bill waved it off. “Wear extra glitter on the face. They’ll think you’re just an overze **Word count: 349**