Page 9 of Clash of Kings

Before having a realtor meet him, Bas wanted to get a look at the buildings and their areas to see whether he was interested. The road up the mountain wasn’t too bad, but the driveway to the property would need to be repaved. When he saw the lodge, Bas was pleasantly surprised. Even though the hotel had been closed for years, the building looked to be in decent shape. After parking, Bas got out and looked around. This site was one of two which were on small mountains. The building wasn’t as large as what Sebastian had in mind, but if the structure was sound, he could redesign it to fit his specifications. He wouldn’t know until he got a look inside.

From the old photos, Bas could imagine what the property would look like when the overgrown vegetation was cleared out and proper landscaping added. He pictured a three-story hotel with balconies across the back overlooking the valley. The old ski runs were visible in the distance, and if he bought this location, Bas would consider eventually reopening them. He used the camera on his phone and snapped several pictures of the area to refer to later. The property had potential, and he took his time wandering around, looking for any potential hazards. He also ventured into the surrounding woods, searching for signs of wildlife. The listing was for the lodge, the ski runs, and forty acres. If he purchased this location, Bas wanted to buy the acreage on either side as well. More room for him to let the beast loose.

When he was satisfied he had documented everything, Sebastian walked to the back of the building and stared out over the valley. The sun was going down, and it was glorious. Since he had nowhere to be, Bas moved his Jeep to where he had a clear view and got comfortable. One of his least favorite things about Atlanta was all the lights. His home was far enough away from the city that he could stargaze, which he loved to do as often as possible. That was one reason he wanted to find somewhere he could continue to enjoy the night sky. With the top panels off and the windows down, Bas could hear the various nocturnal creatures coming to life as twilight turned to dusk. This was Sebastian’s favorite time of day, when the moon rose, light disappeared, and the stars shone above. The wait was worth it.

Only half of the moon was visible, but it beckoned to him. Since he didn’t know the area well, didn’t know whether humans came to this spot to get up to no good, Bas restrained from phasing and taking to the sky. He leaned the seat back and stared at the stars for hours. The peacefulness was just what he needed after the last few weeks of becoming King and worrying about the GIA agent in South Carolina. When he glanced at his phone and saw it was going on four a.m., Bas started his Jeep and headed down the mountain to find a hotel. After breakfast, he would explore the town at the base of the mountain. He wanted to get a feel for the area around a potential purchase. It was imperative to his potential venture that there would be other shops and attractions to entice his guests to visit. One of the most prominent lodges in the state had all sorts of outdoor activities such as skiing and fishing. Sebastian wasn’t worried about offering those himself, but he did want there to be plenty of activities offered wherever he decided to open his business.

After a few hours of sleep, Sebastian checked out the local diner. It didn’t look like much on the outside, but inside was decorated reminiscent of the 1950s. It amazed Bas how some trends never went away, even more than a century later. The food was basic breakfast fare but delicious. After getting his fill of eggs, bacon, and pancakes, Bas walked around what was considered downtown. Stores and businesses lined both sides of the main drag. A few were designed to lure in tourists, but most were geared toward everyday living. When he came to Walker’s Outfitters, an outdoor adventure shop, Bas went inside.

“Can I help you?” a twenty-something man asked. He looked like the outdoor type wearing cargo pants and a T-shirt boasting the company’s logo.

“I’m interested in what activities are available in the area.”

“Sure, man. We can hook you up with everything from trout fishing, to horseback rides, to four-wheeler trails, and ziplining. A friend of mine owns a rafting company. In the winter, there’s cross-country skiing and tubing. If you want downhill skiing, you’d need to head over toward Snowshoe. We haven’t had downhill here since the lodge closed. I’m Dustin, by the way.”

“Sebastian.” Bas reached over to shake hands. “I’m actually looking to invest in the area, and the old Wellis Lodge is one of the properties I have my eye on. I’m researching what activities are available to guests who would stay there.”

“Dude, that would be amazing. Are you thinking of reopening the slopes? That would bring in more tourists.”

“It’s a possibility but not my priority. First, I would need to remodel the hotel. The new lodge would have approximately thirty guest rooms, so at double occupancy, that’s sixty people not counting kids or other guests sharing a suite. Could you possibly accommodate that many people with the activities you offer?”

Dustin tapped his fingers on the counter, reminding Bas of Anthony. “For fishing and horseback riding, yes. We don’t keep that many four-wheelers on hand since we don’t need them, but if you were successful in keeping the lodge full, we would restructure our business around your needs. As far as winter activities, that would be easy enough to add a few more tubes, skis, and what not. I gotta tell ya, I hope you take a chance on our little town. We do well enough, but reopening the lodge would be a boon for all of us, and not just those of us who own businesses. With a hotel that size, you’ll need all kinds of employees from housekeeping to groundskeepers, and if you have a restaurant on site, you’ll need cooks and servers. Plenty of folks around here would love to have a job closer to home.”

Sebastian had already spoken to Slade and Matthew regarding what was needed in setting up a restaurant. They offered to help once he got his new venture up and running. That would leave hiring an experienced hotel manager. The idea of bringing jobs to a small town did his heart good. He had learned early in his life to help others when he could, and this was one way to do that.

“That’s part of the reason I’m looking into reopening businesses in your state. I want to help smaller communities. I have two other properties to look at, and I’ll make my decision in the next few days. If I choose Carlton, I’ll let you know.” The bell over the door jingled, and a group of six walked in. Not wanting to keep Dustin from his customers, Sebastian said, “I appreciate your time.” Once outside, Bas took a deep breath of crisp air. He had a good feeling about this little town.

Sebastian called the realtor and scheduled an appointment to officially look at Wellis Lodge. With how quickly Missy Perkins agreed to meet, Bas figured she was excited at the prospect of a large commission, but once he spoke to her in person, it was clear she was invested in the town.

As she unlocked the door, Missy said, “I’m fifth generation Carltonian. Most of my family worked in the coal mines until their jobs became all but obsolete. Now we rely heavily on tourism to keep our town afloat.” Missy gestured for Sebastian to enter first, but he held the door for her instead. She stepped to the left and flipped on some lights. “My great-grandmother was a cook here back when the lodge first opened. I still have the cookbook she published with their recipes.”

“Wouldn’t that be counterproductive? Sharing her secrets?”

Missy laughed. “Oh, heavens no. The folks who visited were from out of town, and having the recipes meant they could take a little of her cooking home with them. She didn’t share them on the lodge’s website or anywhere digital. Anyway, the lodge was remodeled a couple times, making things more modern. The last owner bought it right before the apocalypse and was never able to make a go of it, even when things began turning around. He spent a lot of time and money on the upkeep just in case, but eventually he had to shut everything down. He has someone come in once a month to check on the place and make sure nothing catastrophic has happened like the plumbing bursting or the roof leaking. All in all, it's still in pretty good shape. Come on. I’ll give you the grand tour.”

After looking at every room and taking even more pictures, Sebastian was excited. The layout of the first floor was in line with his vision. The second floor would need minimal structural changes, but the drawback was the third floor. It was currently an attic the previous owners used for storage. There was plenty of room to divide the space into suites, but there was no plumbing.

Bas shared his concerns with the realtor, but Missy wasn’t daunted. “This property has sat for many years, as you know. The owners are ready to sell. Heck, they’ve been ready, but honestly? You’re the first person to show any interest. I know you have other towns you’re visiting, but if you find you like this one best, make them an offer.” What she didn’t come right out and say was Bas could lowball the owners and they’d accept.

“I’ll keep that in mind. I plan on looking at the other two properties this week, so I’ll let you know one way or another early next week at the latest. One more thing. I’d like to find out more about the surrounding properties. Is the land suitable for building on, and if it is, would whoever owns it be willing to sell?”

“You want to expand?”

“I’m thinking more along the lines of building a house so I don’t have to live at the lodge. I have a good feeling about this place.”

“I’ll see what I can find out.”

Missy walked Sebastian out and locked up behind them. They said their goodbyes, and Bas got in his Jeep, following the female down the mountain. He had already set his GPS for Titus. After taking several turns, he finally came to the state highway heading North.

Three hours later, he arrived in front of a stunning hotel at the foot of a mountain. Unless the inside was trashed, Sebastian couldn’t see a reason why this property wasn’t up and running. He parked his Jeep and got out. Bas walked around the structure, peering in the windows. From what he could tell, the inside was in good condition. The vegetation was overgrown, but it wouldn’t be hard to tame. Bas made his way to the back of the property. A long dock led to a narrow river. Sebastian eased down the wooden planks to the end, mindful of broken or rotting boards. From where he stood, he could make out the rental cabins scattered along the shore, nestled in the trees. The scenery was nice, but it didn’t hold a candle to the Wellis Lodge’s view. Sebastian closed his eyes, envisioning living there, but he couldn’t see himself or his Gargoyle with nowhere to let loose. Turning toward his vehicle, Bas didn’t bother calling the realtor. He drove around until he found a restaurant. He grabbed a quick lunch, then got back on the road toward the third site.

By the time Bas made it to Southville, it was late, so he checked into a hotel for the night. It was nothing to write home about, but it was the best the town had to offer. Sebastian dropped his duffel on one of the queen beds, removed his boots, then set his laptop bag on the two-person table in the corner. While it booted, he took his toiletry bag to the bathroom and brushed his teeth after taking a piss and washing his hands. Since he was in for the night, Bas changed out of his clothes into a pair of knit shorts and a T-shirt. The weather outside warranted the heater being cranked up inside, but being a Goyle, he ran hot, so he turned the thermostat to cold before sitting down at his computer.

Grace had texted earlier that she was sending several emails through for him to look at, so he checked those first. Both were inquiries into meetings about potential drawings, and he responded with meeting requests. While doing so, a notification popped up in the corner. It was Carleigh requesting a secure chat. Sebastian clicked the icon accepting her request. Carleigh’s dad, Julian, had handled all technology for the Clan for many years. He was a genius and passed his knowledge on to his daughter. Since she was requesting an encrypted chat, something was up.

“Hey, Bas. How are things in West Virginia?”

“Not too bad. The first property has a lot of potential. The second one is in a valley, so I didn’t bother looking at the interior. I have one more to look at tomorrow. But I doubt that’s why you’re contacting me.”

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