Since Washington Square was only five blocks away, they weren't exactly in the best part of town. Joe had seen the bouncer pat the kid down. He patted all the men down. The lady bouncer, who could probably take Joe in a fair fight, patted all the women down. Joe had entered with his guy only because he had shown his shield. How did the bouncer miss the gun?

Then Joe remembered that the kid had asked where the rest rooms were.

I'll bet someone stashed the gun in there from earlier in the day. Damn! While Joe could try to take the guy down, someone still might get shot. He tried another tactic.

"Tell him, kid!" he yelled. "Tell those fucking sons of Abraham that they should go back to their homeland."

The kid turned slightly.

"Who the fuck are you, dick head? Shut your yap or I'll shoot you too. I've got a conversation with this band going!"

"Put the gun down, son," said Rashid from the stage. "Then we talk things over calmly."

"We'll stop playing," said Danny. "Just put the gun down."

"I got no beef with you or Sandy, although she can't play worth shit."

Joe thought that was unfair. Sandy had just finished a real nice solo.

"You tell her," Joe said. "The whole band sucks."