Run: 2026-09-03-01M1KAKK0TN5ZTF5YP10D8DCKD

Molly squinted through binoculars at the backyard birthday banner sagging between two oaks. A clown was making balloon animals with the grim focus of a bomb defuser. Bill sat cross-legged in the van’s cargo area, surrounded by blueprints drawn on napkins and a half-eaten sheet cake he’d stolen as “research.” “We can’t just rush the gift table, Bill. There are mothers everywhere.” “Exactly. Mothers are slow. They’re loaded down with juice boxes and judgment. We use that.” Molly lowered the binoculars. “That’s not a plan. That’s a stereotype with a head wound.” Bill pointed a frosting-smeared finger at the napkin. “I say we go in as the entertainment. I do magic. You work the face paint. We get the kids to hand us the presents for a ‘special game.’” “The special game where their gifts vanish and two strangers sprint to a van?” “Strangers? We’ll be wearing costumes. I’ve got a dragon onesie and you can be a fairy princess.” Molly stared. “I am not robbing a five-year-old’s party dressed as a fairy princess.” “Fine. You be the dragon. I’ll be the fairy princess. It’s about commitment.” “The commitment is to not getting bitten by a golden retriever while we crawl under the dessert table.” Bill licked the cake fork. “So we don’t crawl. We walk in with a giant gift box, say we’re from the birthday boy’s rich uncle, and then we fill the box with the other presents and leave.” Molly nodded slowly. “That’s almost not terrible. Except the uncle is a real person and he’s probably already here.” “Uncle Steve? He’s in Boca. I checked the mailbox.” “Of course you did.” “He sends a card with a check for fifty bucks every year. The kid can’t read a check. We’re doing him a favor.” Molly pulled up a photo on her phone. “The bounce house is directly between the door and the gift table. If we go through the house, we pass the kitchen where the moms are icing cupcakes.” “So we go over the bounce house.” “Over it?” Bill shrugged. “It’s inflatable. Soft landing. We go in through the side gate, roll across the bounce house, grab the gifts, and roll back.” “That’s not a heist. That’s a viral video waiting to happen.” “Think about it. No one expects two adults in formal wear to belly-flop onto a bouncy castle. By the time they stop laughing, we’re gone.” Molly considered. “We’d need to take off our shoes.” “Already packed socks with grippy bottoms.” “You’re insane.” “I’m a professional.” “You brought a cake fork to a stakeout.” Bill held up the fork. “For testing icing density. If the cake’s dry, the parents are distracted by complaints. If it’s good, they’re all in a sugar trance. Either way, presents are vulnerable.” Molly exhaled. “Fine. We go over the bounce house. But if a clown gets in my way, I’m using the balloon sword.” “That’s the spirit.” They bumped fists. Outside, the clown made a poodle that looked uncannily like a witness.