Run: 2026-09-10-01M25DYAF82NN8HWFQ8VY5X6FW

Molly lowered the binoculars and watched the dragon-shaped bouncy castle breathe in the autumn wind. Beside her, Bill adjusted a party hat he had stolen from a dollar store and studied the community center like it was the Bank of England. A banner above the door read Happy Seventh Birthday, Princess Sparkle. A cluster of parents stood by the gift table, sipping coffee and guarding a mountain of wrapping paper with the intensity of armed sentries. Bill unfolded a napkin map covered in ketchup stains and arrows. It was, Molly reflected, the least dignified blueprint in the history of crime. "Remind me why we're robbing a child," Molly said. "Rent," Bill said. "And the gift table. That's not a pile of presents. That's a down payment on a yacht." "We're thieves, not monsters." "We're thieves with a landlord." Molly sighed. "What's the plan?" "You distract the clown. I slip behind the gift table and transfer everything into the piñata." "The piñata is full of candy." "Exactly. Nobody suspects a piñata." "Nobody puts iPads in a piñata." Molly watched a toddler in a cape wander past, carrying a juice box like a scepter. "There's a dad with a clipboard. He has a whistle." "That's just Gary. He's in charge of allergies. He's harmless." "He has a whistle, Bill." "It's for musical chairs. We can take him." "We are not assaulting Gary." "Fine. You distract Gary. I'll handle the clown." "You said I was distracting the clown." "I've reassigned you. The clown is too much for you." Bill checked the napkin. "Plan C. The giant teddy bear is hollow." "There's a child inside." "She's fine. She's reading a dragon book. Very quiet." Molly rubbed her temples. "We are not stuffing presents into a bear with a child in it." "Okay. Plan D. We leave one present." "A nice one. The book-shaped one." "That's a Kindle." "Even better. It builds character." Molly started the van, then stopped. "Wait. How do we get past Gary?" Bill grinned and produced a clipboard from his jacket. "I stole his allergy list. Now I am Gary." "Gary owns seventeen whistles. I own a party hat. Close enough." They climbed out. Molly carried a gift bag filled with zip ties and a fake card. Bill walked toward the entrance with the clipboard, frowning at a page of allergens. The dragon bouncy castle wobbled. Somewhere inside, children shrieked with joy. Molly hated how much she understood their pain. She had once been a child at a party like this, before she discovered the thrilling economics of other people's presents. "One present," she whispered. "One present," Bill agreed. "And if that kid inside the bear starts crying, I'm blaming you." "She won't. She has a dragon book and no interest in us." "That's the saddest thing I've ever heard." "Welcome to the heist business." They adjusted their party hats and walked into Princess Sparkle's birthday party, ready to commit the pettiest crime of their careers.