We are the Enhanced

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Talent barely noticed the knock on his door. He was too busy sleeping.

"Up, you weirdo!" a familiar voice yelled through the door of his cabin.

"Gimmen ur," Talent's voice slurred as he failed to get out of bed.

Alex understood the gibberish, and yelled, "Loser, it's eleven already. Your brother and all those other college grads gave up on you. Boat docked and they're already on shore. And personally, I'd like to see Brazil, too. So get up!"

Eleven. Talent thought that was late, even for him. So he got up, quickly got ready, and raced out the door into the hallway of the cruise ship. His friend Alex sat beside the door, legs out, doing something on his phone.

Talent looked over at the phone to watch his friend, and caught sight of the clock. He immediately punched the boy.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Alex had trouble hiding his smirk.

"It's seven thirty, you nitwit. Excursions don't start till ten." And with that, Talent went back to his room. Somehow Alex managed to slip in behind him.

Alex brushed dark hair out of his green eyes, and grinned up at Talent, who was at least a head taller than him.

Talent narrowed his own dark eyes, and flopped onto his bed and sticking his head under a pillow. Then he whacked Alex again, as he'd jumped on top of him, and realized something.

"Alex, where's my brother for real?"

"Somewhere where you'll never need worry about him again," his friend intoned, dead serious.

"Breakfast?"

"Yup. Port Hall. I ran my sis into your big bro," Alex makes a heart with his hands and sticks out his tongue. "Not on purpose at all. But they sure know each other now."

Talent yawned, rubbing his dark skin. "Now you have -yawn- me awake, let's go get -yawn- dinner, sorry, lunch. Wait what time is it?"

"You're adorable when you're tired, ya know that?" Alex snickered, pulling the covers off the other boy's bed. Talent grabbed them back, immediately falling asleep to the rocking of the cruise ship on the waves.

Alex rolled his eyes but gave up, letting his friend sleep for an hour more before their morning started and the pair wandered the ship.

First on the list was terrorizing the staff. Alex could climb just about anything, and Talent's dark skin helped him blend into shadows. Together the pair got on top of a freezer in the galley. Talent held his friend's legs as Alex flipped down backwards. The upside down boy released a torrent of questions to the shocked crew member below, and Talent did his best not to snicker or let go as the chef, a young woman, slapped Alex in shock. Alex pulled himself back up, his eyes daring Talent to speak.

After playing giant checkers with giant chess pieces, ping pong, speed mini golf, calling dolphins, and, obviously, guzzling soft serve straight from the dispenser, and thus wiping ice cream off their foreheads, Alex and Talent met with their families before going on excursions.

Talent was on this cruise because his brother had just finished college, and the big treat was a cruise, curtesy of his filthy rich friends. His brother, Andy Reman, had asked Talent to join them. Same story went for Alex and his sister, Rebecca. After the plane ride to Recife, the cruise started toward Rio, and that day the boys met on the water slides at one end of the boat. Alex had flipped over the side of the slide, nearly squashing Talent, and after discovering their rooms were next to each other, they became friends.

Alex and Talent raced each other down to the bottom floor, where people left the boat for excursions. Talent took the elevator and Alex went down all five sets of stairs. So naturally Alex won. Talent didn't know anyone faster than the boy. He was strong, fast, agile, and a player, too. Talent supposed it came with the role of star athlete.

The giant statue of Christ, Talent forgot its name, towered above the bright city of Rio de Janeiro. Alex appeared beside him, pointing out a green macaw flying overhead like pigeons did over Boston, Talent's hometown.

Alex's sister had definitely met Andy. The pair walked arm in arm. This was after one morning and a match made by a fourteen year old boy. Talent nudged Alex, tilted his head, and made a heart with his hands. Alex grinned.

The boys could stay together, since their older siblings were walking in a group. They weren't a tight pack, though, and the boys got lost and left behind once or twice.

Walking through the streets, Talent felt multiple somethings hit him. Then a itchy bite in one spot.

"Gah!" Talent yelled, swatting at the spot, and seeing his hand stained with bits of blood.

"Freaking mosquitos around here. We ran through a dang cloud of 'em" Alex agreed, slapping himself only moments later as he also felt a bite.

All they had planned was to walk around Rio for the day, and at one point, they found themselves at a beach, out in the water, scaring fish and jumping in the waves.

There were splashing competitions, and who could get the best lady. Talent had a six year old, and Alex gathered up a little boy. Talent decided he won. Sand castles and diving competitions later, Alex looked over to the shore and snorted.

"Talent, look at those kiddos following your big bro," Alex pointed an arm out of the warm water. It was incredible compared to the chilly spring back in the States.

Looking over, Talent saw two young boys, maybe nine or ten, following Andy as he went to a refreshment stand. Andy handed one of the boys a milkshake while watching his phone. Neither seemed to notice the other wasn't related to him. The boys laughed and went back to playing, wondering how long their accidental imposters could keep at it.

Later, Talent looked up.

"Alex, what time is it?"

"Three twenty four. We have until four to be back to the ship," Alex said, with a glance at his watch. "Whoa! Something's on fire over there!" He continued, pointing toward the harbor. "Lemme get Rebecca, she'll- Talent?" The boy's voice slowed, more cautious. "Rebecca's not there. Neither is your brother."

Talent shook his head. "They wouldn't leave without us..." Realization dawned on him. "Alex. Those kids following Andy? I think they followed him back to the boat."

"No. Nonononono." Alex's words ran together as he wrung his hands, worry evident. He looked back at the harbor and turned green.

"Talent... Our ride home is on fire." Tears stained the boy's eyes.