After two days of touring the country, Kate and Osgood felt strangely exhausted. Josh had done the driving, but they had visited several families with gifted children. The cover story had been easy to find: they were journalists preparing an article on Britain's Most Gifted Generation.

In each house they had encountered almost the same scenario. The parents welcomed them and proudly explained that their child was surely the most brilliant human being on earth. Each family had its own explanation for their kid's intelligence – genes, nutrition – apparently kale/carrot/strawberries smoothies ensured an optimum dietary intake, brain stimulation – one family made their little girl wear bouncy shoes to help neural information circulate faster, and of course intensive training. If the child was home, he or she was usually to be found in front of the computer screen. Contrary to many parents, those families played a key part in the development of their child's brain. Many families mentioned a new game which had apparently been conceived to enhance people's and especially children's brain power.

"Phew! That was hectic – I don't know why, we've been through much, much worse, but…"

"Yes – I know what you mean, Osgood – no one firing at us, no monsters wanting to kill us, but …"

"Maybe it's because those people were so – intense?"

"Maybe – but I think there's something else, although I can't put my finger on it yet. We have to find out about this game – what was the name again?"

"Talentio?"

"Yes, that's it."

"Talentio? Yes – it's brilliant!"

"Josh? Do you know anything about it ?"

"Of course! I have it on my phone – here, have a look."

The game looked like any other brain training program, with challenges set by a game master. f you completed the challenges, you won golden keys, opening doors taking you to the next level.

"Nothing strange here, Ma'am – a little too easy, though."

"I'm sure it is for you, Osgood – maybe not for a child – or for Josh." At Josh's sounds of protest, Kate felt guilty: "Sorry, Josh, just joking. Thank you for showing us the game."

Hours later, Kate was still up, nursing a glass of scotch – she felt there was a piece of puzzle missing, and she hated that – in the literal as well as in the figurative sense! Moreover, other pressing matters required her attention, and she couldn't possibly waste her time on what her superiors would probably consider a wild goose's chase. Her scientific brain told her not to give any importance to her hunch, but her body seemed to say otherwise.

However, it wasn't until a few days afterwards that Kate realised she should have ignored her logical/rational mind. The networks of major institutions had been hacked – the computers were unresponsive. The media channels and the social network websites all broadcasted the same message: "The Potentials are coming".

"The Potentials? What the hell are they?" Kate was furious – mostly with herself, but also with her team. It was her job – and theirs - to prevent that kind of thing happening.

Osgood tried to calm her down: "It might be nothing – just an advertising stunt, or …"

"Or an alien invasion!"

Meanwhile, on Planet Potentia…

"Good work, Mensophia - not long now."

"Thank you, Sir – not long indeed – the wave transmitter is ready to be used as soon as you give the signal."

The Brain was elated – at least he would get his revenge. Who could have predicted it would end like that? Many of his predecessors had tried to take control of Earth, but none of them had succeeded. Attila had begun well, but his methods had been too primitive. Leonardo da Vinci, had had a good try, and he had invented machine guns, armed vehicles and humanoids robots, but he had not had the means to put them to use. During the centuries, many others had been sent to Earth, but they had been prevented from achieving full Takeover Potential, either by their own weaknesses – Napoleon had been too sure of himself – or by the Humans – Adolf Hitler's strategy had been good, but even he had been defeated.

The Brain thought back to the events that had brought him to become the leader of the Potentials. Long ago, he'd been that scrawny little kid with glasses cowering in a corner of the playground. The ideal target for nerd-bashing bullies. After several years of suffering, matters had come to an end when one of the bigger boys had taunted him so much he'd jumped from a window. This suicidal move had actually saved him. He had been barely alive when he'd arrived at the hospital, and the doctors had had to remove part of his brain in order to stop the haemorrhage. They had then used a totally innovative technique to create a new brain area, and they'd patched him up as best as they could. However, they had had no idea at the time that the new tissue they'd used would make him a Potential. He'd already been gifted, but now he was super-human – and more Super than Human. At his human death, he'd been transported to Planet Potentia and now he had the power to take his revenge.

Even though his right hand, Mensophia, often tried to convince him there was no need to annihilate the Humans – they could just enslave them – he wanted to get rid of them all. She was like all women – soft! Even though she too had suffered at the hand of bullies, she still thought not all humans were evil. She was not a fighter, but she was a good technician, and she sometimes had good ideas. She had conceived Talentio, and even he must admit that had been a brainwave.

Through the game, they would be able to send instruction to the gifted human kids. Even more than instructions, they would be able to channel their minds. His operation had been a long time ago, and since then, Potential scientists had discovered more effective ways than direct brain tissue graft to transmute humans. By simply accessing human brain wave frequencies, for example through a game, they could ensure the transformation, either gradually or at once. And once the kids had been transmuted, they would acquire Potential characteristics: they would just need to touch a human for one minute to put him or her into a coma… Exit the human race! Even the kids …Mensophia would object, but …