Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi Read Free Book Online

lobby door.
    Van Doren, who was not taking the hint, followed. “Actually, Tom, I knew you were Michelle Beck’s agent. It’s sort of why I came here. Heard that you got her twelve and a half for Earth Resurrected. That’s not bad.”
    I opened the lobby door with one hand and propped it open with my foot as I maneuvered the dolly through the entryway.
“The agency hasn’t made an announcement about that to the press, much less The Biz, ” I said. “Where did you hear about it?”
    Van Doren grabbed the door and held it for me. “I got it from Brad Turnow’s office,” he said. “They faxed out an announcement to the press, and I got the figure from his receptionist when I called to follow up.”
    I made a mental note to have Brad fire his receptionist. “I can’t comment about my client’s affairs,” I said. “If you’re looking for something, I’m not going to give it to you.”
    â€œI’m not here to do anything on Michelle Beck,” Van Doren said. “I’m hoping to do a story on you.”
    â€œOn me?” I said. “Really, Van Doren. I’m not that interesting. And there are no pictures of me on the Net having sex with anyone.”
    â€œLook, we know we lost a lot of goodwill on that story,” Van Doren said. This statement was on the same level as the captain of the Titanic saying, I guess we’ve taken on a little water. “We’re trying to get away from that sort of thing now. Do some real journalism. The story I’m doing, for example, is ‘The Ten Hottest Young Agents in Hollywood.’”
    â€œYou getting ten agents to talk to you?” I wheeled over to my car, a Honda Prelude.
    â€œI’ve got six so far,” he said, “including one of your guys here—Ben Fleck. You know him?”
    â€œI do,” I said. “I wouldn’t call him one of the ten hottest young agents in Hollywood.”
    Van Doren grimaced. “Yeah, I know,” he said. “Frankly, none of the really good young agents want to talk. That’s why I’m really hoping to do something on you. I mean, twelve and a half million! I’d say that makes you the hottest agent in Hollywood at the moment, period. You’re the money guy, in all
senses of the term. This is cover story material, Tom. You need help getting that in the trunk?” he gestured to the water bottle.
    I just did not want this guy here.
    â€œNo thanks,” I said. “It’s going up front.”
    â€œWell, here,” he said, stepping around to the dolly. “I’ll hold this while you get the door open.”
    What could I do? I gave him the dolly and went to open the passenger side door. As I opened the door, I realized I was on the wrong side of it; Van Doren would have to put the bottle in. I felt a mild stirring of panic.
    Van Doren realized this as well. “I’ll get it,” he said, and walked around to pick it up. “I don’t suppose you have a cap for this—if you hit a bump, you’re going to get it all over your interior.”
    â€œNope,” I said.
    Van Doren shrugged. “Your car.” He reached down and picked up the bottle, wobbled it slightly, provoking a spike of fear to my mild stirring of panic, turned and maneuvered it onto the passenger seat. As he stood up, his face was red and blotchy. “Out of shape,” he said. “Tom, don’t take this wrong, but that water smells a little off. You’re not planning to drink it, I hope.”
    â€œNo,” I said. “It’s from a sulfur spring one of our agents just got back from. You heat it up and soak in it. Good for the skin. But stinky.”
    â€œNo kidding,” Van Doren said. He leaned against the door, effectively blocking my ability to shut it. “So, Tom, how about it? I think you’d make a great profile. In fact, if everything goes well, I might be