Global race to attract talent

Qusay's pupils dilated in shock, and he gasped as he spoke:

Qusay: "Whaaat!!! Eight months…? This is unbelievable! How on earth did I survive all this time? And what's the deal with that seed I swallowed? Am I dreaming? No, I'm a trillion percent sure this is real. So, what's going on?"

Qusay entered his computer password and headed straight to social media. The first post that caught his eye was:

"Breaking News: Speed ability user, Luqman Labendor, from Fez, has been recruited by the United States after showcasing his rare superhuman ability (Posted 2 weeks ago, 12,581 likes)."

Another post read:

"Mental manipulator, Fatima Al-Karami, with her uncommon ability, has caught the attention of Europeans, who are negotiating with our government to transfer her to them (Posted 9 days ago, 4,188 likes)."

Yet another post:

"A clash broke out between a group of fire-wielding bandits and the metal manipulator, Ismail, at the entrance of Taza city. It ended with the criminals being neutralized and Ismail likely being recruited into the military (Posted 2 days ago, 690 likes)."

And one more:

"The Eastern and Western factions are in a race to attract talents. Is a third world war looming on the horizon? For more details, visit our official website, Tafaha.com (Posted 2 months ago, 654,688 likes)."

There were countless other posts that gave Qusay a basic understanding of what had happened during his coma. He turned to a search engine and typed, "The emergence of superpowers." Several articles popped up, and he chose one from a well-known, credible Arab news channel known for its detailed and accurate reports. The article read:

"22.03.2025, 11:15 AM Mecca Time

The resigned Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Bieber, and his Foreign Minister, Melanie Jolavi, confirmed that while the superpowers that have emerged among humans could bring destruction to humanity, they are still limited, especially when compared to the advanced weapons humanity has developed. Justin emphasized the vast difference between common and uncommon abilities. According to him, one person with an uncommon ability could defeat up to twenty people with common abilities in a solo squad battle (one versus a group or team). This gap becomes even more staggering when compared to rare abilities. Even our advanced weapons might struggle to contain those with rare abilities. The World Health Organization has released statistics showing that approximately 90.24% of humans possess common superhuman abilities, 9.15% possess uncommon abilities, and 0.61% possess rare abilities—about fifty million people, which is no small number. There is a race among major powers to attract talents, with all eyes on those with rare abilities. China has the largest number of rare ability users, exceeding fifteen million. In the Arab world, unlike most Arab countries, Saudi Arabia has invested in attracting talents, forming an elite army called the 'Desert Elite Force.' Following Saudi Arabia's lead, Qatar and the UAE have adopted similar approaches to adapt to the current societal developments. However, the mystery that continues to baffle scientists and analysts is the origin of these powers. Several theories have emerged to explain this strange phenomenon, which we have covered in a separate article. Legally, this phenomenon has spurred legislative efforts to regulate these powers and protect societal security."

After finishing the article, Qusay moved the mouse cursor back to the search bar and typed, "How to discover my superpower?" Several articles appeared:

"Discover your superpower at home with these simple recipes,"

"Find out your superpower for free—visit our website,"

"Your superpower is your key to survival—come to our branch in Paris and change your life for the better,"

and many more. What they all had in common was that they were scams.

Then he saw a post from the General Directorate of the Kingdom of Morocco:

"Discover your superpower at one of our detection centers spread across the Kingdom. All you need to do is pay the examination fee and present your national ID."

Upon reading this, a smile returned to Qusay's face, and excitement filled his heart. With agility, he grabbed a plastic bag, collected all the rotten vegetables, fruits, and spoiled eggs, took his national ID and some money, and headed outside.

First, he disposed of the trash in the dump, then made his way to the detection center. Qusay lived in a rural area near the city of Chefchaouen, and the nearest center, according to the internet, was about a two-hour walk away. As he walked along a narrow dirt path, he ran into his neighbor, Raouf, who lived in the same village but far enough that the distance between houses created a sense of isolation—something Qusay appreciated.

Raouf, surprised: "Whaaat!!! Is that Qusay?? I thought you were in Tangier! When did you get back?"

Qusay, hesitantly: "Just yesterday, hahaha! How are you, neighbor? How are your brothers and kids? And how's Grandma Aisha?"

Raouf, sadly: "Grandma Aisha passed away. I thought you knew! As usual, you're the last to know about anything, huh?" (His tone shifted from sadness to happiness as he continued.) "As for my son Luqman and my nephew Yamen, they've been recruited into the Eagles Squad. And my brother, Yamen's father, went to France on a special request thanks to his uncommon ability."

Qusay: "The news is overwhelming. I can't decide whether to mourn Grandma's death or celebrate your brother and his son's achievements. But praise God, everything happens for a reason."

Raouf: "That's the right attitude, brother. My wife and I are alone now, especially after all my other siblings moved to the city for work and education."

Qusay, internally: (Damn, I completely forgot about work. I must have been fired from the company. Damn, I've lost my only source of income.) Then he said aloud: "You still have your wife, and that's the most important thing. May God keep love and harmony between you."

Raouf: "Amen, brother. I'll be on my way now. If you're free tonight, we can go to the café and play Barchee (a dice game with unique rules, different from those in the Middle East and Asia). What do you say?"

Qusay: "How about we postpone it to another day? I just got back from Tangier and have a lot of things to take care of."

Raouf: "Sure, brother. See you soon, God willing."

Qusay: "God willing." (I forgot to ask him about the Eagles Squad and what his, his son's, and his brother's abilities are. But it's better I didn't ask—it's not appropriate to pry into others' affairs.)

After about half an hour of walking, Qusay finally reached the main road, which was quite a distance from the village. He followed the road until he reached the Tuesday market, known as Tengoub, where several government institutions were located, including the detection center. Tengoub was the central hub for the municipality that included their village (douar). Their village, Douar Al-Jeer, was part of this municipality.

When Qusay reached the road, it was best to wait for a taxi or a car heading to Tengoub. In these rural areas, people often gave each other rides for free, even if they didn't know each other. The residents of these villages shared similar traits and attire, making it easy to identify each other. Sometimes, people could even guess your father's name just by looking at you.

After about six minutes, a taxi arrived, and Qusay quickly made his way to Tengoub. He headed straight to the detection center, which was an ordinary building resembling a preschool, with a large sign displaying the name of the region and other details. The center's name was prominently displayed: "Tengoub Center for Superpower Detection."

The building seemed deserted, with no one entering or exiting. However, the door was open. Qusay loudly greeted whoever was inside, and a voice responded, allowing him to enter.

Qusay: "Hello, I'm Qusay. I'm here to detect my superpower."

Employee: "I'm Abdelmounim. Nice to meet you, Qusay. Please present your national ID for verification, fill out this form, and pay 200 dirhams."

Qusay followed the instructions and completed the formalities quickly and efficiently.

Abdelmounim: "Even though it's strange that you haven't detected your ability until now, and I'm curious about the reason, it's not our place to pry into citizens' affairs. However, if you misuse your ability without authorization, the consequences will be severe, and you'll face legal penalties. Please note that the new penalties are stricter than ever."

Qusay: "I've heard about that, brother. It's just that some household chores and work kept me busy, and I didn't want to crowd the center with everyone else."

Abdelmounim: "Most superpowers fall into two categories: either projection, where the person projects internal energy to affect the external environment—examples include common abilities like fire, ice, and water—or absorption, where the person draws external energy to affect their own body, such as invisibility or flight. However, most absorption abilities are uncommon. In our facility, and most facilities in the Kingdom, we rely on two main devices for these two types. Please enter the projection device, and while inside, try to release your internal energy into the external environment."

Qusay: "Understood."

With steady steps filled with determination and anticipation, Qusay stood next to a large device with enough space inside for a person to stand. At the front of the device was a vertical door that lowered from the top to seal the entrance. Qusay entered, and Abdelmounim pressed a series of buttons in a specific sequence. The door closed with a hiss.

"Beep... Beep... Beep... Please attempt to discover the energy within you and release it into the environment."