chapter 127

Immunity

Thursday, December 5, 2075. It was Karl's last day of school.

Karl had entered school on November 30, making today his sixth day there.

"Finally, it's over!"

Karl's excitement was evident as he rode in the Sky Hera car. With a grin, he raised his arms and touched the car's roof, his spirits soaring like a student just starting summer vacation. His mental state seemed significantly improved.

"If I had to endure any more of those classes—missing half of them daily to learn how to flatter superiors—I'd lose my mind," he said.

David, sitting beside him with a tired expression, scratched his cheek in confusion. "I didn't think it was that bad."

Karl scoffed. "One of us is still stuck in it, and the other is finally free, only to face something worse. How can it be the same?"

Karl suddenly remembered something. "David, how's your mom doing?"

"She's fine. I sent her to the medical center in Santo Domingo. She's awake now and should be discharged tomorrow."

"That's good news."

Oliver, who was driving, chimed in. "I've been treated at that hospital before. It's pricey, but their service is top-notch."

David nodded. "Yeah, they're so enthusiastic it's a bit overwhelming."

"You pay them, of course they're enthusiastic," Oliver replied. "At least it's better than some back-alley ripperdocs. But speaking of professionals, I only trust Victor."

"Victor?" Karl asked.

Oliver nodded. "That's where we're headed now. Karl, you're finally getting that prosthetic faceplate removed. You've held onto it long enough. Just remember, it's been on for a while, so the nerve connections might make it tricky to take off."

"I'll be fine. It's better than leaving it on forever," Karl replied.

Jack, sitting in the passenger seat, smirked. "Not everyone takes off their prosthetics, especially when they've gotten used to them. But Karl? He's sentimental about his real skin."

Karl shrugged. "I hate the pain of connecting nerves. And more than that, I hate the idea of getting used to it." He tapped his cheek. "Honestly, I'm a pretty shameless guy. I really just care about my 'face.'"

Oliver chuckled. "A sentimental merc. That's rare."

Sky Hera came to a stop near Misty's Psychic House. After setting up a trigger alarm for the car, they all entered Misty's shop. After exchanging greetings, everyone but Jack headed through the back door to Victor's clinic.

Victor, already informed of the situation, was ready.

"Lie down," he said, his tone as steady as always before performing surgery.

The behavioral synchronization faceplate was top-notch in manufacturing technology but simple enough to install and remove. Victor completed the procedure efficiently.

"The expressions and movements on your face have become more natural recently," Victor said. "There might still be some residual tension in your facial nerves. If you don't want to develop facial paralysis, try smiling more."

"I'll keep that in mind, Victor," Karl replied.

He took a towel from Oliver to wipe the remaining blood off his face, then hopped off the operating table. His face, slightly paler from being hidden under the prosthetic for six days, felt strangely foreign to him. He rubbed his cheeks with his hands, more for reassurance than anything else.

At least now, he wouldn't have to deal with nerve pain or face-changing. He wasn't a Sichuan opera performer, after all.

"Ready, kid?" Victor asked.

Karl was done, so now it was David's turn. David took a deep breath and nodded.

"Lie down, then. I'll start with the hands first. The facial prosthetic will take some time; I'll need to adjust and clean it. Normally, I don't reuse prosthetics, but this faceplate happens to be versatile enough for anyone. It might sting a bit—the nerves around your artificial eye will need some rerouting, which could cause momentary frame-skipping or discoloration in your vision."

Victor began by injecting anesthesia, carefully observing David's tolerance. After some tests, he started the procedure.

The installation of the ballistic co-processor prosthetic hands didn't take long. When Jack and Misty returned after chatting for a while, they found the process nearly complete.

"That was fast," Jack remarked.

"The main event's still ahead," Victor replied, injecting more anesthesia as he moved on to the facial prosthetic.

"You'll feel a bit woozy, so don't resist. I need to reroute the lines connecting your artificial eye to install the faceplate properly," Victor instructed.

David's consciousness faded as the anesthesia took effect. When he woke up, the prosthetic was installed.

"Here," Victor said, handing him an inhaler. "This is an immunosuppressant. Use it once a day for the next two days to help your body adapt. The human body naturally resists foreign implants, so this will ease the process."

"Got it, Ripperdoc," David replied.

While David tested the prosthetic, Karl observed the immunosuppressant curiously. "Victor, why didn't you give me one of those? I had to deal with the pain."

"You didn't need it," Victor said calmly. "Your body's rejection to prosthetics is surprisingly low—almost as if they're naturally part of you. The pain you experienced was purely from nerve connections, not an immune response."

Karl blinked. "Naturally part of me? That sounds... weird. Like my body's just a plug-and-play system."

"Maybe," Victor replied. "Still, try to minimize the number of prosthetics you get. No matter how advanced they are, they'll never feel as comfortable as your original body."

Karl sighed. "I can't help it, Victor. As a merc, sometimes you have to adapt. But for now, I'm good. I'll upgrade when I can afford better gear."

Victor smirked. "Patience, kid. I've got a supplier making arrangements for some corporate-grade prosthetics. If all goes well, you'll be upgrading sooner than you think."

Karl's eyes widened. "Corporate-grade? Victor, how do you even manage that?"

"It's not me who's great," Victor replied. "It's the people I know."

As the conversation shifted to higher-end prosthetics, the city outside transitioned into its vibrant nightscape. Night City was alive once again.

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