Run: 2026-10-20-01M5C6A0FGRYKMNQ7F5SCZG16W

Molly spread a crayon map across the hood of the getaway tricycle while Bill adjusted a false beard that made him look like a suspiciously tall toddler. The map showed a bouncy castle, a piñata shaped like a dragon, and a petting zoo labeled “exit, maybe.” Bill held a juice box like a detonator and studied the birthday boy’s house with professional gloom. A clown was already inflating a balloon sword while a mother wrestled a birthday cake shaped like a castle into the shade. Bill judged the fence height, the hedge cover, and the number of toddlers capable of betrayal. “Clown at two. Parents filming. We move then.” “And the presents?” “Treasure chest behind the cake. We swap it for socks.” “Socks?” “Parents assume socks are from Grandma.” Bill tugged his beard and noted the security: one hired magician, two exhausted mothers, and a toddler with a bubble sword. The magician’s doves were the wild card. Molly said they sensed fear. Bill said everything sensed fear, which was why he wore the beard. Molly checked the timetable: clown, cake, magician, chaos. Bill checked his pockets: stickers, carrot, spare socks, tiny notebook labeled “party crimes.” “Sir Sparkles is a liability,” he said. “He’s also the fastest way past the fence.” “What if the children see us?” “Present inspectors. Official glitter badges.” They planned the entry through the ball pit, the pivot behind the piñata, and the power cord cut that would plunge the cake table into darkness. The exit involved a carrot, three goats, one alpaca, and a pony named Sir Sparkles. Bill objected to the pony on principle. “What if the magician sees us?” “He disappears at two-fifteen. We disappear first.” Bill admitted the logic was sound, mostly because he had already practiced a toddler shuffle and learned half the alphabet song. Molly folded the map and told him to steal a carrot. He looked at the juice box. “I hate this job.” “You love the ice cream van.” “That’s enough.” Bill tapped the dragon on the map. “One problem: the treasure chest is guarded by a unicorn.” “That’s a piñata.” “It has teeth.” “It has candy. We hit it once, everyone dives. That’s our cover.” “What about the bouncy castle?” “Entry. Ball pit, piñata pivot, power cord cut.” “And the exit?” “Carrot, three goats, one alpaca, and Sir Sparkles.” “Doves?” “Don’t make eye contact. They sense fear.” “What if a child asks for my autograph?” “You’re a present inspector with a beard.” Bill practiced a solemn nod. Molly reminded him that the getaway tricycle had one working pedal and no bell, so style mattered. They would meet at the ice cream van, split the loot, and avoid the dinosaur DJ with the taser. Molly tied a ribbon around the decoy box and told Bill to remember his cover story. He forgot it immediately. Bill adjusted his beard, checked his sticker badge, and shuffled toward the party. “Good,” Molly said. “Now look official.”