The Mysterious Message

Qusay sat in his dark room, staring at the faint glow of his computer screen illuminating his face. His fingers moved slowly across the keyboard, while his eyes remained fixed on the strange message that had appeared in the corner of the screen days ago. The message was still there, glowing faintly like a ghost haunting him: "Do you want to be a member of DST?"

He hadn't clicked on it yet, but it had consumed his thoughts since he first noticed it. He knew exactly what those three letters stood for: "Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire," or the Directorate of Territorial Surveillance, Morocco's intelligence agency known for its covert operations and exceptional information-gathering capabilities. But what intrigued him was how this message had reached him. He felt a mix of curiosity and unease, as if this message could open a door to an unknown world.

Qusay sat in silence for several minutes, contemplating the message once more. Questions flooded his mind: Who sent it? How did they know about him? Was it a joke or something serious? The questions came rapidly, but he couldn't resist the urge to know more. Suddenly, he remembered something else that had been on his mind: his manager at work. Three days ago, he had promised to meet with his manager to discuss renewing his contract. But he had been so preoccupied with his own secret activities—observing Adnan, Ghadeer, and Daniel—that he had completely forgotten about the meeting. A pang of guilt hit him, but he quickly refocused on the screen. Finally, he decided to click on the message.

A chat window popped up. The sender was using a pseudonym: "ShadowX." The conversation began with a simple sentence:

"Hello, we've noticed your activity online. We believe you're the right person for us."

That sentence was enough to make Qusay uneasy. How did this person know about his activities? His hands trembled slightly as he typed his first reply:

"Who are you? How do you know about me? And what do you want me to do?"

ShadowX's response was calm and precise:

"We know you possess exceptional investigative skills, and that's what we need. Don't worry, we're not here to harm you. We're offering you an opportunity."

Qusay wasn't easily convinced. He began asking more specific questions to uncover the sender's intentions:

"If you're really from DST, why are you hiding behind a pseudonym? And why me specifically?"

ShadowX's reply was airtight:

"We operate in secrecy to protect ourselves and our sources. As for why we chose you, it's simple: we know you can access information that others can't. You have a unique talent."

Qusay began to feel somewhat reassured. ShadowX's answers were logical and convincing.

ShadowX continued:

"You'll receive a fixed monthly payment of 7,000 dirhams, regardless of whether you do anything. This amount is yours with no strings attached. It's a guarantee of financial stability. As for the missions, they're entirely optional, and each one comes with its own special reward—rewards you can't even imagine. The missions will only involve gathering information, and we'll never ask you to do anything outside that scope."

Qusay paused for a moment, rereading the message. Seven thousand dirhams a month for doing nothing? And a special fee for each mission? The offer far exceeded his expectations. He began to wonder about the nature of these missions, but his curiosity grew with every word he read. He quickly typed a reply:

"Seven thousand dirhams a month with no obligations? That's a lot. And what kind of missions would have special rewards?"

ShadowX responded swiftly and clearly:

"Exactly. The 7,000 dirhams are yours every month, whether you take on missions or not. As for the missions, they're optional, and each one has its own reward. Some involve gathering classified information, while others require advanced technical skills. Each mission will be different, and you'll know the details when the time comes. As for the special rewards, they'll be bonuses for exceptional performance. The more complex the mission, the greater the reward. We know you're capable of achieving remarkable results, and that's why we're willing to pay what your skills are worth."

Qusay felt more excited than ever. The monthly amount was enough to change his life, but the idea of special rewards for each mission added a new layer of temptation. He imagined himself earning huge sums for using skills he had practiced in secret for years. He typed:

"This is an incredible offer. I'm ready to start whenever you are."

ShadowX replied:

"Agreed. We'll be in touch."

After the conversation ended, Qusay turned off his computer and sat in silence, staring into the darkness around him. He felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. He began to imagine what the upcoming missions might be like.

Later That Day

Qusay stood up from his chair slowly, feeling the weight of the thoughts swirling in his head. He had been meaning to take a shower for a while, but his preoccupation with the mysterious message on his computer had made him postpone it. Now, he decided to finally do what he had intended. He walked to his closet, opened it deliberately, and pulled out a soft, light-blue towel and a clean white robe to wear after his shower. He carried the towel and robe in his left hand, while holding a bar of fragrant soap and a small bottle of shampoo in his right. He headed to the bathroom, feeling a sense of relief as he heard the sound of water filling the tub. He turned off the light in the room, leaving only a faint glow from the small bathroom window. He began to undress slowly, then stepped under the warm water, letting it wash away his fatigue and worries.

After putting on his clean white robe, Qusay felt refreshed. He decided to head to the weekly market in Tanqoub, where he knew he could find everything he needed. He grabbed a small cloth bag, put some money and his house key inside, and walked confidently toward the market, breathing in the fresh morning air. At the market, he wandered through stalls filled with fresh vegetables, fruits, and aromatic herbs. He bought some onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and a piece of fresh lamb. The market was bustling with life, the harmonious sounds of vendors and buyers filling the air. After finishing his shopping, he returned home with his bag full of supplies.

Back at home, Qusay decided to prepare a dish called "Boulfaf," a meal that reminded him of the festive atmosphere of Eid al-Adha in Morocco. He gathered some firewood from outside his house, where he had a small pile of dry wood. He arranged the wood carefully in a designated spot for the fire, lit a match, and placed it among the wood, waiting for the fire to catch slowly. Once the fire was burning well, he took a sharp knife and began cutting the meat into small pieces, seasoning them with cumin, pepper, and salt.

Qusay prepared metal skewers and began threading the meat onto them evenly. He placed the skewers on the grill over the fire, leaving them for 3-4 minutes on each side until the meat was well-cooked. The delicious aroma of the grilled meat filled the air, making Qusay even hungrier. Once the meat was fully cooked, he removed the skewers from the fire and placed them on a large serving plate. He sprinkled them with an extra amount of spices (cumin, pepper, and salt) to enhance the flavor.

Qusay served the "Boulfaf" hot and sat on the ground by the fire, enjoying every bite of the dish that brought back fond memories. Beside the plate, he placed a cup of hot tea, which complemented his delicious meal.

After finishing his meal, Qusay felt full and satisfied. He decided to head to Mount Souna, a place he often visited for meditation and absorbing natural energy. He carried a small bottle of water and wore comfortable walking shoes. He began his journey toward the mountain, listening to the sounds of nature around him. When he reached the summit, he sat on a large rock, closed his eyes, and began to breathe deeply. He felt the natural energy flowing into him, giving him a sense of calm and strength. He knew this energy would help him use his supernatural abilities more effectively.

After about an hour of meditation, Qusay stood up slowly, feeling ready to face any challenges that might await him in the future.

Later That Evening

When Qusay returned home, he felt a bit tired. He decided to have a quick meal before going to bed. He prepared some fried eggs with fresh tomatoes, a simple but satisfying dish. After finishing his meal, he headed to his bed, where he lay down slowly, closing his eyes.

Qusay knew his body would fall asleep (this was one of the perks of his supernatural ability—instead of sleeping, he could use his power to let his brain and body rest while his consciousness roamed the world). But this time, he decided to use his ability differently. Previously, he had to think of a specific place to send his consciousness, but now he discovered he could focus on a specific person and transfer his consciousness to wherever that person was. This new ability was more convenient, as he wouldn't have to search for someone each time.

Qusay closed his eyes and focused on an image of Adnan in his mind. After a few moments, he felt his consciousness begin to drift away from his body. Within seconds, he found himself in the middle of an unexpected battle. The scenes were chaotic, but not as intense as he had imagined.

Adnan shouted: "Today, we'll teach you a lesson in ethics!!"