Maya couldn't believe the situation she was in right now. As Maya reluctantly got into the SUV, her mind raced with thoughts of escape. She knew she had to stay alert and find a way to turn the tables on Gerry and Tree. The question was how? As they drove down the road, Maya noticed that they were heading towards the Kukui'ula Harbor, which was located between the Spouting Horn and Po'ipu Beach. Panic started to set in, but she forced herself to remain calm.
Maya knew that panicking would only cloud her judgment and hinder her chances of escape. She focused on observing her surroundings, looking for any potential opportunities or weaknesses she could exploit. As they approached the harbor, she noticed a small crowd gathered near the docks, seemingly oblivious to what was happening in the car. Surely, they'd notice soon that she was being held hostage, right? Eventually, Gerry parked near the harbor and everyone got out of the car.
"Alright, Maya," Gerry said. "What do you say we go sailing from here to Los Angeles?"
Maya's heart sank as she realized the gravity of the situation. Los Angeles was over 2,500 miles away from Kauai, and sailing there would take days, if not weeks. She knew that her chances of escape would be even slimmer once they were out at sea. She stopped worrying momentarily when a glimmer of hope in the form of the rental car from earlier came and parked next to Gerry's SUV. Out stepped Bitsy, Helen, Goldie, and Whitney.
"What's going on here?" Whitney asked curiously. "I thought you were just going for a walk?"
"Oh, we were at first," Tree lied. "But then Gerry and I changed our minds and decided that we'd just take Maya sailing instead."
Whitney looked skeptical as she glanced at Maya, who gave her a subtle nod to indicate that something was wrong.
Whitney's eyes narrowed as she assessed the situation. "I see... mind if the gang and I join you?"
Whitney's question caught Gerry and Tree off guard. They exchanged a quick glance before Gerry replied, "Well, we were actually planning on going alone, but I suppose a few more people won't hurt."
"Alright. C'mon, everyone, let's go."
Gerry chuckled awkwardly. "Yes, let's go, everyone."
Whitney, Bitsy, Helen, and Goldie all proceeded to follow Gerry, Tree, and Maya onto the boat. Maya's hopes went up just a bit more as she watched her mother, sister, girlfriend, and girlfriend's boss climb onto the boat and join the sail from Kauai to Los Angeles. Then, once they were out of the view of the people on the docks, Tree knocked the other four women out cold with a wooden oar.
When Helen and the other three women came to, they couldn't help but notice that they were practically in the middle of nowhere, nothing but water all around the boat they were in. They also couldn't help but notice that they were bound by their extremities with nylon rope, with their hands tied behind their backs.
"Ah!" Bitsy yelled. "Helen! What in the world?!"
"Oh, good!" Tree exclaimed. "You're finally awake! Now the real fun can begin!"
"Wait, wait, wait, wait," Helen spoke up. "What's going on? Hey! Hey! Why are we sailing out here in the Pacific Ocean?"
Helen's voice trembled with fear as she looked at the vast expanse of water surrounding them.
Tree smirked, relishing in Helen's confusion. "I'm glad you asked, Helen. The reason we're all sailing out here is because your friend had the misfortune of finding out that Gerry and I were the killers all along."
"Wait, what?!" Goldie yelled out. "That was you who killed those people?!" Her voice echoed with shock and disbelief.
Tree nodded smugly, reveling in the power she now held over them. "Yep, and now that I've told you, Gerry and I will have to kill you, too."
Helen's heart raced as panic set. She glanced at Maya, who looked just as terrified. Whitney and Bitsy exchanged worried glances, while Goldie seemed to be trying to process the shocking revelation.
"Hold on, if you really need to kill someone, kill Bitsy," Helen quickly said. "We all know she doesn't have that many years left."
Bitsy sent a death glare Helen's way. "Helen, you asshole."
Gerry merely tsked. "No, no, no, Helen. That's not how that works. We have to kill all five of you so our secret will be safe forever."
"Please, just let us go," Goldie pleaded with him. "We promise not to tell anyone. We can just live with what you did for the rest of our lives."
"No, no, no, that ship has already sailed." Gerry couldn't help but laugh at the pun he just made. "We know it's only a matter of time before one of you blabs about it to someone. We have to kill you before that can happen. Besides, look at it this way. Not only will we be getting Doro's inheritance, but when it's all said and done, we'll be getting Bitsy and Whitney's money as well."
"I swear, we won't tell anyone! We'll take it to our graves, even!"
"That's right, you will."
Helen's heart sank as she realized the gravity of their situation. They were trapped in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean en route to Los Angeles with no hope of escape. Fear and desperation filled the air as the hostages struggled against their restraints, knowing fully well that their lives hung in the balance. Tree and Gerry seemed to revel in their power, taunting them with their impending doom. The women exchanged glances, searching for any sign of a way out or a plan to survive this nightmare. But as time went on and the boat continued on its way to its intended destination, it became clear that there was no bargaining or pleading that would save them now. They were at the mercy of these killers...
Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, everyone heard police sirens closing in on them. The blaring sound of police sirens grew louder and louder, causing both Tree and Gerry to freeze in their tracks. Panic washed over their faces as they realized that their carefully crafted plans were about to unravel. The hostages exchanged hopeful glances, clinging onto the sliver of hope that rescue was imminent.
"Gerry Pritchard, Wiwon Wynnewood, we have you completely surrounded!" a voice called out through a megaphone. "Put your hands up!"
The sound of police sirens grew even closer, and Tree and Gerry exchanged panicked glances. They knew they were running out of time. With a sense of urgency, they quickly assessed their options. Should they try to fight their way? Or should they surrender and hope for leniency? As the voices from the megaphone continued to command them to surrender, Gerry made a split-second decision. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small handgun.
"Don't come any closer!" Gerry screamed. "We've got five women with us. If you even so much as reach out, we'll blow their brains out! Take us to Los Angeles and we'll be on our way."
The hostages gasped in horror as Gerry brandished the gun. Fear and tension hung in the air, as everyone realized that their lives were now hanging by a thread.
"He's got a bomb!" Bitsy yelled out to the officers.
"Wait, don't shoot!" Tree also yelled out.
Unfortunately for Tree, it fell on deaf ears. Within seconds, gunshots rang out, and Gerry and Tree soon found themselves riddled with bullets and falling to the floor dead. Most of the hostages watched in shock as Tree and Gerry's bodies hit the ground.
"That's for making me go to a birthday party, you son of a bitch," Bitsy murmured at Gerry's corpse.
The air was heavy with a mix of relief and grief, knowing that their captors were finally defeated but also mourning the loss of life. The police quickly moved in to secure the scene, checking on the hostages and ensuring their safety. Paramedics arrived shortly after, tending to those who were injured during the ordeal.
"You're safe now," a Kauai police officer assured Maya. "You're okay. You don't have to worry about those people hurting anyone ever again."
Maya nodded, tears streaming down her face as she allowed herself to feel the weight of what had just happened. She looked around at the other hostages, their faces etched with a mixture of relief and trauma. They had survived the unthinkable, but they would carry the scars of this experience for a long time.
