A/N: Takes place during the original "Adventures in Babysitting" just as the main characters leave the blues performance.

Bleak Times

As Chris and her three charges filed out of The Silver Dollar Room to applause, Albert and the band continued playing the final measures of the improvised "Babysitting Blues". Graydon, Bleak and Gipp attempted to follow the kids, but Albert came down on the last chord with his guitar neck acting as a crossing guard.

"Nobody gets outta here without singin' the blues" he informed them with a stern look that spoke of hard times. It also spoke of a tradition that best not be broken by newcomers.

Graydon tried staring him down, knowing that Bleak didn't want to lose the trail of the kids that had just left and the valuable information they carried; a magazine with recorded figures of business orders and transactions for his boss. Albert on the other hand had a sympathetic audience with him and several rather large bouncers at his disposal to uphold the club's tradition. Graydon attempted a low growl but it got stuck in his throat; in the meantime he could feel Bleak's eyes burning a hole in the back of his head.

"If the kids can do it, you can to" Albert continued. "It don't have to be good, it jus' have to be from you" he said as he turned his attention to the smaller man, whose posture spoke that Bleak was the one that called the shots for the group.

"From...me..." Bleak mumbled. He looked over Albert's shoulder and saw a few large bodies moving in. "Gimme that microphone!" he snarled as he pushed his way to the stage, Graydon following in his wake. He grabbed the mic and blasted the audience with a "IS THIS THING ON?" test. The audience cringed with the sonic assault, until the engineer adjusted the mixing board, knocking out the feedback and dialing the gain back. The crime boss dragged a nearby stool behind him and sat down to begin.

"The sign says 'Live Blues Nightly' outside. My name's Bleak, I work in the auto industry, and let me tell you about what gives me the blues." The bass player on stage started laying down a simple rhythm.

"Did he say his name was Bleach?" Shirlee asked from the audience.

"I hope it's not Blech" her friend Shirelle answered with a snarled nose as Bleak started in with a talking-song voice.

I'm just a small operator on the South side of a big town...

"He's just a small operator on the South side of a big town" Albert echoed as he joined him on stage.

I'm just a small operator and it sometimes gets me down...

Albert continued to echo "...sometimes gets him down."

Ain't got no friends to ask me why I always wear a frown.

"Why do he always wear a frown" Albert added as he started to add a syncopated chord beat on his electric guitar. His fingers were capable of amazingly complex playing, but that wasn't the groove of the song.

I work only in the dark never see the light of day
If I'm spotted by the man oh he's gonna make me pay
Livin' off other people's money that's all I'm gonna say.

Marvin Gardens joined in on the blues harp with a few riffs, keeping it low key like the way Bleak must operate. Joe Gipp watched his boss and Graydon on stage and shook his head with a grin. This should buy those kids some time to get away, thought the younger man who had inadvertently brought the kids to Bleak's shop.

Seats for a Caddy, wheels from a Jag
Dealing in car parts yeah that's my bag
Don't ask don't tell inventory
It's the dismantling blues.

The audience was starting to get into the song. "He don't sing too bad" Shirlee observed.

"Yeah, in a kinda Christopher Walken way" Shirelle agreed before yelling "You go Bleach! Woo!"

The song continued and Graydon picked up a tambourine and rattled time with the song.

Nobody gives a damn that it's such hard work
Building up a business, yeah it's such hard work
If I can't fill their orders, then they say I'm the jerk.

The song went on as Bleak bemoaned the lack of a retirement and health plan, lazy workers, and unscrupulous competition without actually using the term 'chop shop'. As the song wound down, Albert finished it off with a flourish and final minor chord. Bleak got cheered for the first time in his life and was ready to do an encore when Joe decided that enough time had passed; he jogged up to the stage and whispered in his boss's ear "Mr. Bleak, the kids!"

Bleak snapped out of his moment and ordered Graydon and Gipp to follow him out of the club. On the way out he told Grayson over his shoulder "remember where this place is" before they headed back to their car to continue the pursuit.

The End

A/N: Just how did the bad guys get out of the club? They must have sung the blues! And with a name like Bleak, the main bad guy just had to have a sour disposition and no doubt had plenty of material to grouse about.