Tethered

Chapter Twenty-Five

1

"It ain't my fault, Karen", Sarah said despite the threats, then she caught Philip's eyes. He was standing near the edge of the cliff, with a frightened look clouding his eyes. He looked entirely troubled.

"You did this to us. You ruined our lives—shattered our dreams, and what more did you expect out of that, you bloody whore?" Ariana shouted.

"Shut up." Karen screamed, then she laughed nervously. "You will thank me somedays."

"You created all these, all for the sake of an experiment—a drug that kills and ruins," Sarah continued, fearlessly. She didn't care that a gun was pressed to her temple. "You broke us, played with our emotions, drugs us...killed us and what exactly did you expect from that? Goodness? Success?"

"You have no right..." Karen started but Philip cut her off.

"No, you had no right, Karen", he yelled. "People died—innocent lives and you stand here and speak? Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"I did what I had to do", she said. "There's a reason for everything."

"Money, is that it?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, because of the money. We all do it because of the money. Greed, that is, and as long as it is still there, we will never stop!"

"Of course, you won't!" Philip said. "But where is the money now? Everything is destroyed, everything."

"Shut up", Karen screamed. "Give me the flash drive, and your little girlfriend lives."

"You will not get away with it this time, Karen", Sarah said.

"Don't push me!" She yelled, and kicked Sarah in the back. Sarah groaned in pain. She glared at Philip again. He looked like he wanted to do something—like he had a plan but still didn't know how to put it in motion.

"We don't have it", Ariana said. "Just let her go, Karen."

Karen laughed. "You think me a fool?" She smirked, and pressed the pistol harder to Sarah's temple. Fear pumped through Sarah's veins. She knew Karen wasn't kidding.

"Stop playing games with me, kids", Karen said. "Give me the drive or put two in her pretty brains. Give it to me. I know you have it, Philip. Gary...oh, Gary, stupid Gary gave it to you. Hand it over pretty boy and everything will be fine."

"Am I suppose to believe that?" Philip asked. And Karen laughed nervously in response.

"Don't give it to her, Philip!" Sarah yelled.

"Shut up!" Karen kicked her again, harder this time. Then she seized a fistful of Sarah's hair and pulled it hurtfully. Sarah screamed at the pain. She was already in so much pain. Her entire body hurt.

"I have it", Ariana said, approaching toward them.

"Stop moving and toss it over", said Karen. But Ariana kept moving slowly toward them, her hands in the air.

"Let go off Sarah, and I will give it to you, I promise", she said slowly. Sarah swallowed hard. Whatever it is that Ariana was planning to do didn't ring right to Sarah. It was too risky a thing to do. She wanted Ariana to stop coming toward them.

"Stop right there, young lady!" Karen screamed and pulled Sarah's hair, making her screamed again.

"Okay!" Ariana shouted. "Just don't hurt her, geez." Then, she looked, and smiled.

"It's over", Philip said. Then, he made a quick movement, like he was about to charge for Karen.

Karen jolted, alerted and immediately aimed the gun at Philip. Taking gain of the moment, Ariana lunged for Karen, and just before she could knock them both down, Karen pulled the trigger. Sarah screamed in terror as the bullet perforated it way through Philip's right shoulder. The pressure pushed him backward. He staggered back holding his wound as blood gushed out of it. He appeared dazed but satisfied at the same time.