Run: 2026-10-08-01M4D9Y28GX4862XYQWSYSRG00

The van smelled of cold fries and regret, which was why Molly had parked it upwind of the bouncy castle. Across the street, forty-two children shrieked under a banner reading TYLER IS SIX! Bill lowered his binoculars and grinned at the pile of gift-wrapped boxes stacked beside the front door like a glittering fortress. "Okay," Molly said, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. "Walk me through it one more time." "Easy. We go in through the side gate, past the trampoline. Nobody watches the side gate. Nobody watches anything at a kids' party. We grab every box with a bow on it and we're gone before the cake comes out." "And the clown?" Bill lowered the binoculars. "What clown?" "The one in the yellow wig by the punch bowl. He's been staring at this van for ten minutes." "He's a clown, Molly. Staring is his whole deal." "He just waved at me with a balloon animal that looked suspiciously like a handgun." "Okay, that's a little concerning." Bill pulled a black ski mask over his head, then yanked it off again. "Does this make me look like a burglar?" "It makes you look like a burglar who's been caught by a small child's birthday party." "Fair." He tried again, this time pulling a fake mustache from his jacket pocket. "Better?" "You look like a disappointed dentist." "Nobody's looking at my face. They're looking at the presents." He patted a canvas duffel bag on his lap. "I brought three of these. Industrial strength. Hold a whole Lego castle." "Bill, the last heist you planned involved a rented ostrich." "And it was a fantastic ostrich." Molly sighed and pulled the keys from the ignition. "Fine. But if anybody asks, we're the magicians." "We're not magicians." "We're magicians now. Put on the cape." Bill hesitated, then dug a sparkly purple cape from the glove box. "This is humiliating." "Humiliating is getting caught. Humiliating is the ostrich." They slipped out of the van and crossed the street, Bill clutching his duffel bag and Molly holding a bouquet of plastic flowers she had sworn was a disguise. At the side gate, a small boy in a cardboard crown appeared out of nowhere and stared up at them. "Are you the magicians?" he asked. Molly glanced at Bill. Bill glanced at Molly. "Yes," they said together. The boy's eyes lit up. "Can you make the presents disappear?" Bill cleared his throat. "Kid, that's exactly what we're here to do."