As they got clear of the ballroom and into the servants' corridor, the man followed them in and said, "Listen, bub, you can't come back here. How about you go back and join the other folks out in the ballroom? I insist."

"Aw, jeez, pally," Thomas said, spreading his arms wide in frustration as he turned to face the thug. "Why do you have to be all wet?"

Before the man could react any further, Thomas struck out with a fist and hit the goon in the midsection. When the fake waiter doubled over in pain, Thomas used a hand strike he had learned in the Orient on the back of the other man's neck in order to knock him out.

"Quickly now," Thomas said. "We need to get to the truck parked a few blocks away to get into our 'evening clothes....

Please subscribe to keep reading.