Run: 2026-09-02-01M1HBR0GB2PVM2K5R9B24S9P6

Molly spread the crayon map across the van floor. “The bouncy castle blocks the kitchen door, the piñata hangs over the fence, and every child in that yard is a tiny witness.” Bill polished a spatula. “Tiny witnesses with juice-stained hands. I brought disguises.” “You brought two clown noses.” “Exactly. We’ll be entertainment. Nobody questions a clown carrying a sack of loot.” “Bill, that sack says stolen goods.” “It says laundry. I crossed out laundry with banana.” “Why banana?” “It was in my pocket. Focus. We enter during cake, grab the presents, exit through the hedge.” “The hedge has a gnome.” “Then we bribe the gnome.” “You cannot bribe garden pottery.” “Molly, I once bribed a mailbox. It kept quiet for weeks.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Fine. I distract the parents with a puppet show. You collect the gifts.” “Puppets are too slow. I’ll do a magic trick. Behold, the presents vanish.” “You’ll vanish into a birthday mum’s handbag.” “Worth it. What’s the signal if trouble comes?” “If trouble comes, I sneeze twice.” “And if real trouble comes?” “Then I sneeze, you scream, and we run like we forgot our own names.” Bill tucked the spatula into his belt. “I prefer heroic crawling.” “Heroic crawling gets frosting on your knees.” “Frosting is camouflage.” Molly checked her watch. “The cake candles are lit. This is our window.” Bill put on a red nose. “For luck.” “For suspicion.” “Suspicion is just confidence wearing a silly hat.” “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” “Say it while holding the gift bag.” “Fine. Let’s steal every present from those children.” “Say it softer.” “Let’s borrow every present from those children, indefinitely.” “Perfect.” Molly opened the van door. Music burst from the garden. A child shrieked with joy. Bill gulped. “They sound vicious.” “They’re six.” “Six is ancient in party years.” “Move.” They crept across the lawn, past balloons and a sign that read Welcome Timmy. Bill tripped on a toy dinosaur. “Did you alert the dinosaur?” Molly whispered. “I negotiated with it.” “Then negotiate with the piñata before it testifies.” Bill saluted, bumped the piñata, and candy rained onto the table. Every child turned. Molly smiled brightly. “Puppet show!” she yelled. Bill grabbed three gifts, froze, and whispered, “Is that real trouble?” Molly sneezed twice. Bill screamed anyway. A mother appeared by the fence. “Are you the entertainers?” she asked. Molly bowed. “We are the surprise auditors of fun.” Bill lifted a gift. “This parcel failed inspection.” “Why is it wrapped in dinosaurs?” “Because dinosaurs love birthdays.” “Sneeze signal,” Molly hissed. “I sneezed internally.” “Externally, Bill.” “Maybe allergies respect courage.” Children charged toward candy. The mother gasped. Molly grabbed the sack and kicked the gnome into the hedge. “The gnome is compromised,” Bill whispered. “Run,” Molly said. “Do we grab the cake?” Molly asked. “Only if it is portable,” Bill answered. “It is a cake.” “Then it is portable.” “You are impossible.” “I am professional.” “Where is it?” “Behind the gnome.”