Crows Come To Roost

Mayfair Lagoon, the grand five-star hotel, shone like a bride on her wedding day. Claire Holt had leased it to the Global Art Forum for five million dollars.

Hundreds of expensive luxury cars adorned the parking lot. The red carpet had been rolled out and international paparazzi swarmed the hotel's front entrance like bees.

After all, the Global Art Forum was being held in Springfield for the first time. Such a major event came to the city because it expanded rapidly over the past year, attracting tremendous investment. This growth could be attributed mainly to the Rapids Project, helmed by the Triumvirate of Springfield—Johnson, Baron, and Ribald. Even the Blackwell Conglomerate had joined the venture, along with Rose Atelier and Edward Shannon.