“Alright boys, this... is... it!” Ferris declared as he opened the front doors of the LA mountain side villa they had for the weekend. Ferris had invited his friends and colleagues to the house for a weekend of Batchelor fun ahead of his wedding to Terri.

“Holy moly, it’s beautiful!” cried out of the guests, Canadian Enhanced Linden McCain, also known as ‘Mosaic’. “What a find!”

“I have Donovan to thank,” Ferris said, referring to his ‘pure’ best friend and best man. “He managed to get a good deal on it.”

“The owner drove a hard bargain, but you do need to make sure you take a few pictures for your Instagram as per the deal,” Donovan explained.

The rest of the group filed into the large open entrance hall to the house. The other men in attendance were Brad, Blane, Holt, Do’Lânqwa, Dylan, and another Canadian Enhanced team mate of Ferris’, Tristan Molson whose alias was Bighorn Red.

“There are five bedrooms down that way,” Donovan explained. “So buddy up with someone. Hot tub and pool in the garden. The kitchen and diner are through there where our private chef is at the moment so make sure you say hi to him. The basement is off limits for the time being.”

“Why?” Blane asked.

“We’re getting things set up for us to do over the weekend,” Ferris explained.

“This sounds so cool,” Dylan enthused. “Blane, do you want to bunk up with me?”

“Sure, let’s go and put our bags down in a room.”

Ferris’ two Canadian friends agreed to share a room and went off to find one, as did Ferris and Donovan.

“I don’t share a room,” Do’Lânqwa scoffed moodily, walking off and taking himself out of equation.

“Well, it’s me and you,” Brad said looking at Holt. “Are you happy to share?”

“Yeah. I am... if you are.”

“I am, yeah.”

“Then I am too.”

“Cool. Then I am. Do you want me to take your bag with me? I’m gonna go and freshen up.”

“Sure,” said Holt. “Thanks.”

***

Later that night, the men were all sat around the dining table eating dinner. The chef had just prepared a meal for everyone of Wagyu steaks, fresh vegetables, potatoes and mushrooms.

“So what’s Terri up to?” Tristan asked.

“I have absolutely no idea,” Ferris said.

“Don’t look at us either,” Holt said. “Mindy was taking it all very seriously and was not wanting to tell us anything in case we would say something.”

“Like we would blab!” Blane said. Holt gave him a knowing eyebrow raise.

“All Mindy said was we would be in big trouble if there were looking at women’s chests on show,” Holt said.

“Oh yeah, no way!” Ferris cried. “Terri would not be happy with me if that happened. There’s no strippers, right Dono?”

“And risk Terri being mad at me? I’m all soft and squishy, it’ll hurt when she hits me!” They all laughed around the table.

“So what do we have planned?” Dylan asked. “What’s happening in the basement?”

“Well, we’re all enhanced here, ‘cept for Donovan and so all the usual Batchelor weekend activities are all things at least a few of us would be too much at an advantage for,” Ferris said. “We can’t really play poker because Do’Lânqwa can tell if we’re lying.”

“What about strip poker?” Holt asked.

“’Is still poker, buddy. Just with less clothes,” Tristan said laughing.

“Paintball is out because we have people who can fly and Blane has x-ray vision so there’s literally no hiding from him. Hiking and rock climbing is out because we have people who can fly, who can stretch, and who can easy climb anything at any incline,” he said looking at Tristan, who’s Bighorn Red identity comes from his ability to climb any terrain like the Bighorn sheep can. “Again, skydiving is going to be no fun for those who can already fly. And I’m too old for clubbing and get no joy from it.”

“Well, fricking hell. What have we come here to do then?” Do’Lânqwa said rather confused.

“Come this way,” Donovan said getting up from his chair.

“Chef, that was phenomenal food, thank you so much,” Ferris called out. A team of three catering staff moved in to clear the table.

Donovan and Ferris led the way down the wide marble staircase to the basement door.

“Behold, The Arena…” announced Ferris excitedly, opening the doors. There were gasps, mostly from Blane and Dylan as they registered what was in the room.

Arranged in the middle of the open room, which had dimmed lighting, were nine individual desks and gaming chairs arranged in a semi-circle. The desks and the screens all faced out of the arrangement at one end of the room. In the middle of the semi-circle arrangement were large inviting sofas facing a screen on the back wall.

“This, my friends, is where we’re going to hang out. We all each have our own game station set up with the same game. If you’re out, you can sit on the sofas until the next round, watching everyone else on the large screen there,” Donovan explained. “We have popcorn, ice cream, a full fridge of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks as well.”

“We get to play, compete and have fun. No one is going to be at a physical advantage over someone else… We get to be together and rock out.” Ferris said, beaming. “I don’t know if this is your sort of thing Do’Lânqwa though, sorry.”

“Are you kidding? I play quite often. You’ll be surprised what I have picked up playing with Ta’Balshén. I beat him every time.”

“You don’t even let him win once in a while?” Brad asked.

“And teach him what?” Do’Lânqwa replied honestly.

Brad shrugged in agreement.

“This is the best idea ever,” Blane said enthusiastically jumping onto the sofa with a huge smile on his face. “Whatever the girls are doing this weekend, is not going to be as cool as this!”

***

Chicago.

“So this is what we’re doing tonight,” Terri said excitedly.

“But it’s just a warehouse,” Kimona said, not matching Terri’s excitement level just yet.

“Read that sign. ‘Rage Room’,” Terri said. “Inside are rooms full of things we can smash and break with different heavy hitting tools. There’s a bar, heavy rock music and pure breaking shit up.”

Mindy’s face lit up. “So I can use all my strength?”

“Yes, just on the things we’re allowed to break though.”

“And can I just use my hands?” Mindy asked.

“Er, yeah. If you like.”

“Oh, I think I’m going to love this,” Kimona said with a smile on her face. She had a legitimate way of working out her anger after what Isaac had told her just before she left England.

“Let’s go in and get the first drinks in,” Terri said. “Whatever the boys are doing is not going to be as fun as this!”