CAT WARLOCK: This Darklord Feasts Upon Horror-Chapter 218: Neural Buffers

The group rode to the Institute last. They went beneath the ground and accessed its Supernatural Division.

Selina hadn’t come back here since her first examination.

"The people here dress really unique." Selina commented.

"It’s a way for them to cope. The more power we have, the more unstable our minds are. Those eccentric behaviors can lower it a little bit." Becky said.

The Psychics beneath the Institute wore all kinds of clothes. Some looked like medieval knights, some wore traditional gentleman clothes. Suddenly Selina remembered John Shaw of the Atlas Seven. He always wore a skin-tight suit and referred to himself as Titan. It was probably another way for him to deal with his Psychosis caused by the Psycho Force.

"Who should we’re looking for?" Loretta said.

"Let’s call Dr. Avaline."

"Should we do that? Dr. Avaline is a pretty busy man." Becky said.

He was the most brilliant scientist in Aeliz City. Becky really didn’t want to bother him.

Selina didn’t care and picked her phone up.

"Hello, Dr. Avaline. I was wondering if you could help me with the Neural Buffer and VISOR... You’re in the Institute? Great. I’ll meet you in the lobby."

Selina hung up the phone. "He’s coming."

Becky twitched her mouth a little. She couldn’t help but compare herself to Selina.

"Being a Phantom’s daughter really is nice. And you’re rich too."

"Being a Phantom’s daughter has nothing to do with it. Everything I have now is thank to Mr. Mater here."

Selina picked up the cat and petted him aggressively.

"Ugh..." As disdain as his expression was, Mater didn’t pull away.

The muscular scientist soon appeared in the hallway. His crazy white hair was still standing as always.

Becky still couldn’t understand how this scientist could keep such a toned body all the time. He was at least a competitive-level body builder.

"Hey, there! Long time no see, Miss Isles. Miss Martinez and Miss Engleman are here too? What a surprise!"

"It’s good to see you too, Dr. Avaline." Loretta smiled.

"Hello buff doctor!" Becky waved at Dr. Avaline.

"Have you girls ordered your uniforms yet?" Dr. Avaline said.

"We did, Doctor. We visited the Barrington’s and the Black Silver." Selina said.

"Leonard and Tony, huh? They are very skilled workers. I couldn’t choose it better myself. What about the Integrators?"

"We ordered the PSIs from Adam."

"Oh? The one who still lives with his mother? Ad is a solid Psychosmith. Your mother, Iris, had her first Integrator made by him too."

"I know. He did tell me."

"Come. Another acquaintance of yours is here as well. Let’s meet him and we can go."

"Acquaintance?"

They left the main lobby and followed Dr. Avaline through a tunnel. The bulky buzz-cut veteran from before, Hank Mackall was standing just in front of the laboratory.

"Oh! It’s this guy!" Becky blurted out.

Hank nodded toward Dr. Avaline, "Stephen."

"Hank! Long time no see."

The two shook hands again. Their bulging biceps seemed like they wanted to burst out of their clothes.

"Is Mr. Mackall attending the Institute too?" Becky said.

Hank laughed, "No, little miss! I’m just here to get my VISOR check and buy some Buffers. I’m way too old for university now."

Dr. Avaline nodded, "Hank has become an official agent for the DSI. He’s working right now."

"No way! You became an agent?" Loretta said.

Hank nodded, "It’s either being a freelance Bounty Hunter or returning to the Military. I want to spend time with my family and being an agent allowed me to have more time with them.

The Military was different. You may need to disappear for years on end if you’re enlisted."

Hank turned to Selina, "Isn’t this the Big Sister?"

"Please, sir. You’re embarrassing me." Selina said.

"I’m not trying to mock you, Miss Isles. You’re the most talented among us. Dealing with the Lambkins Mansion and the White Seam Factory were not ordinary achievements."

"You know?"

"Almost everyone knows already, Miss Isle. I suggest you get used to it now. You would only become even more popular once the semester starts."

"Thank you for the advice."

"Alright. Follow me. I’ll introduce you girls to our Pharmacy."

Dr. Avaline led the group into the laboratory. Everyone here wore white lab coats similar to Dr. Avaline. There was a girl standing in the front dealing with the Psychics.

Dr. Avaline cut the line and went up front. The other Psychics stared but they didn’t say anything. Everyone recognized Dr. Avaline.

"Lily. Fetch some Neural Buffers for my friends here."

"Hello, Dr. Avaline. These people are..."

"Three of our newest recruits in the academic program. Mr. Mackall here is a DSI agent."

"Please tell them to wait a little bit, Doctor. I’ll prepare the paperwork."

Lily slid forms to each of them. Hank had a slightly different form than the girls.

"Please give me your names so I can check it on the system." Lily told the girls.

"Selina Isles."

"Loretta Engleman."

"Rebecca Martinez."

Lily froze a bit when she heard Selina. The girl bowed at Selina.

"I didn’t recognize you, Big Sister."

Selina smiled gently, "It’s alright, Lily."

Internally, Selina was screaming. ’Damn you, Mitch! Now everyone calls me this name.’

"As new students, each of you shall be given 20 Neural Buffers. If you want more, you’ll have to buy them or exchange them with your ISP Units."

"ISP Unit?" Selina said.

"It’s a reward point inside the Institute." Dr. Avaline said. "You get it by having high scores in your test or completing challenges. You can exchange anything with it. Buffers, Psychowares, even certain privileges. I suggest you wait until you have Units to trade. It’s much less expensive that way."

The girls nodded. They filled in the paperworks and received their Neural Buffers.

Neural Buffers were stored inside a small aluminum pill case.

Dr. Avaline rubbed his hands together. "Now is my favorite part. Come! It’s time to install your VISOR!"

"Why does he look too excited?" Becky trembled.

Hank laughed. "You understand eventually. VISOR is a bit different from the usual Psychowares. It’s not a detached piece of equipment. It is installed into our eyes."

"What do you mean ’install’?" Loretta frowned.

"You’ll see."

The group followed Dr. Avaline to a different laboratory. There were many operating chairs lying all around. Some Psychics were having their eyes opened up by the scientists.

"Wait a minute! The VISOR is in our eyes?" Selina raised her eyebrow.