The final chapter of an AI-assisted story.
This chapter has more of my voice as the AI once again de-railed the storyline so I had to do some corrections.
Created using the NovelAI app

The engine of the Porsche roared back to life, cutting through the stillness of the night like a knife. Tim’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles white against the leather. He could feel Joey’s anxiety radiating from the passenger seat, a palpable tension that seemed to fill the car. They had just discovered a body in the trunk, and the weight of that revelation pressed heavily on their hearts. It was no longer just a matter of running from the police over a car; they were now embroiled in something much darker, something that could swallow them whole.

“Where should we go?” Joey asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Anywhere else but here,” Tim replied, his voice strained. He glanced in the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see flashing lights or the shadow of a pursuing vehicle. But the road behind them was dark and empty, a deceptive calm that did little to ease his racing heart.

Joey’s gaze shifted to the side window, watching the city lights fade into the distance as they drove further away from the gas station. “What if they find us?” he asked, the fear evident in his tone.

“They won’t,” Tim said, though he wasn’t sure if he believed it himself. “We just need to lay low for a bit.”

“Where?” Joey turned to him, curiosity mingling with apprehension.

Tim parked the car and walked in the darkness to a small house on the outskirts of town.

“You think he’ll understand?” Joey asked as he looked back in the direction of the car and gripped Tim’s hand for dear life/

Tim hesitated, thinking of how to explain their predicament. “They say when you’re in trouble to tell a teacher.”

“Yeah, if you’re in sixth grade. He’s going to call the police and then get us expelled.”

Tim hesitated in knocking on the door. He counted to three and then rapped three times on the door.

“Mr. Armando? It’s Tim, from your class!”

The door swung open, revealing Tim’s teacher. Gabriel leaned on the door.

“Mr Jovankah and Mr. Andrews. You’re obviously not delivering the pizza I ordered.” His smile faltered as he took in Tim’s disheveled appearance and Joey’s anxious demeanor.

“You guys look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Can we come in?” Tim asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Of course. What’s going on?” Gabriel stepped aside, allowing them to enter. The house was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the chill that had settled in Tim’s bones.

Once inside, Tim and Joey exchanged glances, silently deciding how to approach the truth. “Mr Armando, we need your help,” Tim started, his voice trembling. “Things have gotten out of hand.”

Gabriel’s expression shifted from concern to curiosity. “What do you mean?“

Tim took a deep breath, recounting the events of the day: how he ‘bought’ the car, the wild ride, the gun in the box, the trip to the all where someone pulled a gun on them, the discovery of a body in the trunk, the fear that now clung to them like a second skin. Gabriel listened intently, his brow furrowing deeper with each revelation.

“Tim, this is serious,” he said when Tim finished. “But, I think it’s best if both of you calm down. Mistakes are made when one is under pressure.”

“We’re under it, Mr. Armando,” Joey said with a long sigh,

“Sit tight and embrace tranquility. Do you guys need some water?

Joey nodded and Gabriel left the room. “He’s going to tell us to call the police, Tim.”

“That maybe for the best. What, with the car booby-trapped or something…that’d be the best idea.”

Joey shook his head. “We can’t do that…they’ll say we killed that lady.”

“Joey,” Tim took a hold of Joey’s hands and looked into his eyes. “This is all on me. When we call the police, I don’t you to be here. Mr. Armando can drive you somewhere and you don’t have admit to anything.”

“I don’t want them to throw the book at you for everything.”

“I know,” Tim replied as he moved over and kissed Joey on the lips.

Gabriel walked back in carrying two glasses of water. “It looks like they’re going to be even later with my pizza. You guys like pepperoni?” He asked as he handed them over to the boys.

“Thanks, Mr. Armando.”

“So, you impersonated councilman Summers?”

Tim nodded.

“I said to go out and be somebody, Tim. But not like that.”

Tim nodded again and took a sip of water.

Gabriel’s eyes darted between the two boys, weighing their options. “Okay, okay. Let’s think this through. You’re safe here for now.”

“I want to give the car back and just let the dealership handle what’s in the trunk.”

“We could drop it off there, right now!” Joey exclaimed. “Let them deal with it and neither of us are involved after that.”

“Don’t you think we should report the woman?” Mr. Armando asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t know,” Tim replied, his mind trying to treat the body in the car as a person who deserved justice but also as someone he didn’t know. “I should have taken the Ferrari.”

Tim laid his head back against the couch and held onto Joey’s hand. Gabriel looked up and then back at the boys.

“Returning the car may be the best thing to do. Maybe call in a tip to the police later.”

“I just want all of this to go away,” Tim replied.

As they discussed their options, a sudden knock at the door shattered the fragile sense of safety they had found. Tim’s heart raced as Gabriel’s expression hardened. “They have better knocked off a few dollars for being late.”

Gabriel left the room and the door unlocked.

“You ordered a pizza?” A voice called out from the porch.

“Two, actually.”

“Okay, I only got one. So, we’ll give it to you for nothing. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“Thank you,” Gabriel replied as the door clicked shut. He walked in with a large pizza and placed it on the table. “Help yourselves.”

Tim reached out for a slice but stopped when heard footsteps coming into the room.

Two men, each dressed in impeccable suits, walked into the room and stood to the side of the couch.

“Gabriel,” one of them said, his voice smooth but laced with menace. “I see you have company. We’re here about a missing 959.”

Tim’s stomach dropped. They were in danger, and there was no way to escape. Joey’s hand gripped Tim’s, squeezing tightly as they sat frozen in place.

“Did he come with you?” Gabriel replied, his tone firm.

“He is waiting for your invitation.”

“Of course,” Gabriel replied as he walked back to the front door.

Tim had the thought of throwing the pizza at the men but realized it wouldn’t stop both of them.

One of them stepped forward, a predatory glint in his eye. “You have something that belongs to us.”

Tim wasn’t sure to nod or shake his head at the statement. Either one could get him shot.

“Uncle Nick,” Gabriel called out as he opened the door.

“Buonasera,” Gabriel replied as a large man sauntered in Nick Aramando, the owner of the dealership.

Nick’s gaze shifted to Tim, a glimmer of interest in his cold eyes. “Tim Jovankah. I’ve heard about you,” he said with a glance at Gabriel.
“Resourceful, aren’t you?”

Tim swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted a car,” he stammered.

Nick’s lips curled into a slight smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “You’ve put yourself in quite a predicament. But I admire your tenacity. It reminds me of someone I know.”

Gabriel shuffled his feet and nodded.

“We’re innocent of everything except taking the car!” Joey shouted.

“Innocent?” Nick echoed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I find that hard to believe. But I’m willing to make a deal.”

“What kind of deal?” Tim asked.

Nick’s gaze sharpened. “Join my organization. You’ve already shown you have the guts to survive in this world. Work for me, and I can ensure your safety.”

Joey’s grip on Tim’s hand tightened. “You want us to work for you?”

“Think of it as an opportunity,” Nick replied, his tone smooth. “You can make a name for yourself.”

Later, as they drove away from the house, the Porsche gliding smoothly along the winding road, Tim and Joey felt a strange mix of emotions.
They were wearing expensive suits, a stark contrast to the fear and uncertainty that had once consumed them. Their fingers adorned with rings as symbols of a commitment they had made not just to each other but to a life they never imagined.

“What have we gotten ourselves into?” Tim asked, glancing at Joey with a mix of excitement and dread.

“A wild future. I’m all for it,” Joey replied.

As they sped down the road, the night stretched out before them, filled with possibilities and shadows. They were no longer running; they were stepping into a new world, ready to face whatever came next, side by side.

Test Drive Theme