43 - Shawn

"Welcome back, son," my father greets me from the top of the stairs.

I look at him. I haven't even been at home for ten seconds and he's already showed up. It would be nice if this was a warm welcome, but I know that's not the case.

"Everything went well," I report to him. "We have Odermatt Corp."

It may not have gone according to plan, but in the end, we were able to get the result we wanted, thanks to Ryker and Asher's presentations, the strings I pulled to get the missing files back, and Simone Odermatt's full cooperation.

I was able to get the result I wanted.

"Odermatt signed the papers?" Dad asks as he starts to descend.

"Yes, but there is still more paperwork to be done before everything becomes final and official," I answer.

My father reaches the bottom of the stairs. "But you have the program files?"

"Yes."

I already have them in a secure location.

"And you're sure no one else has a copy of them? Like Preston or West Cove?"

I let out a breath. I should have known my father al