This is an AI-assisted story as I wanted to see how close it could come to the storyline I wanted to write. Surprisingly, it came close but, as you can probably tell, it is not written in "my voice",
The Test Drive series will be the only one I will write with AI-assistance.
Created using NovelAI with a lot of my own voice thrown in for this chapter.

Chapter 12: The Waiting

Tim stared at the small screen of his phone, the blinking dot representing Allie’s location flickering ominously on the map. It hadn't moved in the last five hours, and a knot tightened in his stomach. “She’s been in there too long, Joey. We need to go now.”

Joey leaned over Tim’s shoulder, his brows furrowing as he processed the information. “But look at the surrounding area. It’s open desert, very remote and crawling with snakes. If we rush in there, we’ll be outgunned and outnumbered. It’s suicide.”

“Suicide?” Tim echoed, his voice rising. “She’s my sister!”

“We agreed to go in and you were all for the operation. Allie knows what’s she getting into.” Joey took a step back, running a hand through his messy black hair, frustration evident in his expression. “I get it, Tim. I really do. But if you go in there without a plan, you’re not saving her; you’re just throwing yourself into the fire. And what happens to me then? What happens to us?”

Tim’s gaze fell to the screen again, his heart racing. He felt the weight of his choices pressing down on him. “We need to see what’s going on in there.”

Joey sighed, the tension in the air thickening. “Okay, let’s think this through. We need to regroup and figure out a way to get Allie out without losing our lives in the process.”

Reluctantly, Tim nodded, though the resolve in his heart wavered. Each second that passed felt like an eternity, and the thought of Allie in the clutches of the Vipers made him anxious. But Joey was right; charging in without a plan was reckless.

The two of them headed to Derek’s cabin, a small sanctuary that had become their haven amidst the chaos of their lives. Joey fumbled with the keys, unlocking the door and stepping inside. The cabin had a musty odor to it.

Joey held onto his nose as he looked around the room. It was sparsely furnished with only a ragged-looking couch, and a chair shoved up against a small kitchen table.

Tim led the way to a back room where a giant, locked cabinet loomed.

“You know, I half-expect to find a portal to Narnia in there. Maybe we can get some backup from Aslan,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Tim couldn’t help but smirk at Joey’s humor, even as his mind raced with darker thoughts. “If only we had a lion to help us out.”

“Why not? We need something if we’re going to rescue Allie,” Joey replied, his fingers already working on the lock. With a satisfying click, the door swung open, revealing an arsenal of weapons, some of them highly illegal.

“Holy hell,” Tim breathed, stepping closer. “Where did Derek even get all this?”

“You are aware he thought about using these on us, right?”

Tim chuckled darkly, shaking his head. “Yeah, well, we’re not exactly the safest neighbors.”

Joey picked up a sleek handgun, examining it with a mix of awe and caution. “This is serious stuff. But we can’t just go in Rambo-style.”

“I’m not going in like that,” Tim said, his tone firm. “I’m going in to get Allie. Just me.”

Joey’s face hardened. “No way. If you go in there alone, you’ll be dead before you even reach her. I’m not letting you do this by yourself.”

“We can’t waste time arguing,” Tim replied, his frustration boiling over. “She needs me. I can’t just sit here while she’s in danger.”

“Damn it, Tim!” Joey shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. “I couldn’t live with myself if you died! You’re my everything. If it comes down to it, I’ll go with you, but I refuse to let you throw your life away like this.”

The weight of Joey’s words hung between them, heavy and suffocating. Tim’s heart raced as he looked into Joey’s eyes, seeing the fear and determination reflected back. “I can’t lose her, Joey. I won’t.”

“I know,” Joey said softly, lowering the gun and placing it back on the table. “But we need to be smart about this. We can’t just run in blind. Let’s figure out a way to create a distraction or something.”

Tim closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The urge to act was overwhelming, but he knew Joey was right. They needed a plan, a way to outsmart the Vipers. “Okay, what do you suggest?”

“We need a Porsche.”

“A what?” Tim asked while handing another large handgun to Joey.

“The Vipers are a racing gang…gangs are always looking for new members.”

Tim shook his head. “No, no, we’re not doing that.”

“We win a few races, get the attention of the head of the snakes, find Allie and take and chop off Medusa’s head.”

“We’re going in armed and in the best car money can buy,” Tim replied. “Let’s drive.”

“You look sexy in leather.” Joey commented with a grin.