Chapter 11: Hollywood
THE BIG GUY
Laura peeked her head into my office, her froggy red eyes wide with excitement. "Mr. Tran is here!" she said.
I stood up and skittered out to the cool concrete hallways. "Tran?" I said.
"Is that really you, Big Guy?" he said warily. "When I heard that you escaped, I wondered if you would ever call again."
"Never left my mind," I assured him. "Listen, friend, I need a favor."
"Absolutely."
"I'm under budget, and I need some real good henchmen. Do you have anything new?"
"What did you have in mind?"
"I need something that can strategize," I said. "It doesn't need to be particularly smart, but something that's good in a fight. Something that can take note of its opponent's tactics and know how to beat them."
"Hmm," Tran said. "I think I know exactly what you're looking for. I rode in on it, as a matter of fact."
"Really?" I said. "Show me."
I led him outside of the compound. I saw his mount; a bronze robotic dragon about forty feet tall. It was completely motionless.
"This is Hollywood," Tran said.
"Ah," I said. "He's gorgeous. Hello, Hollywood."
The robot turned to make eye contact with me and again stopped moving altogether.
"He's no Jewel," Tran admitted. "But he can get the job done. He can walk, swim, and fly with equal ease, and he can analyze any opponent to know exactly how to defeat them."
"Could he take Ginormica?" I asked.
Tran raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you're after? Well, yes, I'd say he could. You can have him, if you like."
"How will you get home?" I asked him.
Tran jumped ten feet in the air and stayed there. "I'll walk," he said casually. "Anti-gravity shoes. You'll take Hollywood, then?"
"Could I get the 'close friend' discount?"
"No, just take him. No charge. Consider yourself my ally; I'll supply you with whatever you need. I have henchmen, robots, clones, pencil-crayons. See Tran Industries for all of your supervillain-ing needs."
"I just might do that."