Chapter 206: The Mutant Coexistence Act
After confirming the Blacklight Prototype's combat ceiling, the unit was formally cleared for large-scale mass production within Umbrella.
To bring the Astartes powered armor up to the same standard in parallel, Matthew brought in Ivan Vanko specifically to work through the upgrade plan together.
Since gaining the ability to restructure matter at the molecular level, materials that had once been nearly impossible to obtain were no longer out of reach.
Vibranium and sub-Adamantium alloy were still too structurally complex to mass-produce in any meaningful sense, but a stable secondary supply channel had been opened regardless.
With that channel in place, the defensive performance of the powered armor was in line for a fundamental overhaul.
While Umbrella was quietly running its arms development at full pace — working to avoid being casually destroyed by a six-Stone Ultron someday in the future — a separate development had arrived on the other side of the news cycle.
The Mutant Coexistence Act, a joint initiative pushed through by SHIELD, the Department of Homeland Security, the Social Security Administration, and several other U.S. government agencies, formally took effect today.
The moment it did, the mutant community became the center of every conversation in the country.
Given that the Apocalypse incident had sent a considerable shock through human society not long before, a piece of legislation calling for humans and mutants to coexist — appearing now, without warning — was predictably going to generate its share of controversy.
New York. Hell's Kitchen.
A year ago, Hell's Kitchen was a neighborhood with a reputation and a crime rate that had both hit rock bottom. Since the Battle of New York, however, the neighborhood's story had been rewritten entirely.
On one side of that change: Fisk had used the chaos of the Chitauri invasion as cover to consolidate the entire underground. Gangs that needed to be removed were removed — with the invasion as the stated justification. Gangs that could be absorbed were absorbed.
On the other side: the neighborhood itself, already run-down and poorly maintained, had taken heavy damage in the battle. What remained of the old Hell's Kitchen was more rubble than street.
Matthew had simply organized a full rebuild. The area that had once been overrun with crime was now the lowest-crime neighborhood in New York. The residents' gratitude toward Umbrella was genuine, and credit for the improved safety went to Matthew along with everything else.
Inside a coffee shop, Daredevil — who had opened a law firm in Hell's Kitchen not long ago — was talking through the implications of the Mutant Coexistence Act with his close friend Foggy Nelson.
"Matt. Have you seen the new government legislation?"
"The one saying mutants will coexist with humans and their abilities will be legally recognized." Foggy held his coffee cup in both hands, clearly engaged with the topic. "What do you think?"
Matt Murdock, sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, took a quiet sip of his coffee before answering. "Of course I've seen it."
"But it's considerably more involved than how you're describing it."
"From what I know, once the act takes effect, all mutants will be required to register and disclose their abilities on record."
"Those whose abilities offer practical benefit to human society in day-to-day applications will be placed into government roles directly, once coordination is complete."
Foggy's eyebrow went up. "Placed into government roles directly?"
"So you mean: people with rescue capabilities go to the fire department, people suited for apprehension go to the police?"
"If that's actually how it plays out... I'd say this act is genuinely pushing society forward."
Matt listened to his friend and added to it. "Foggy. 'Placed into government roles directly' — the destinations behind that phrase go considerably further than the fire department and the police."
"What I mean is: before long, there will be a military unit inside the government composed entirely of mutants."
"I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing. But it does mean, to some degree, that the risk of war goes up with it."
Foggy sat with that for a moment, then seemed to land on something. "I actually think a mutant military unit isn't that big a deal."
"After all — hasn't a 'mutant military' already existed for a while now?"
"What do you mean?"
"The Astartes." Foggy shrugged, entirely unbothered. "That's what I'm referring to."
"The way I see it, whether a mutant military shows up or not barely changes anything."
"This world is already chaotic enough as it is."
"First it was aliens. Then the Seven. Then a Norse god showed up. Then Umbrella Corporation — humanity's last line of defense, apparently. And now SHIELD is in the picture, and we've just had Apocalypse."
"A world this disorganized — if the government doesn't have its own capability, it gets knocked over in five minutes." He leaned back in his chair and looked out at the rebuilt Hell's Kitchen.
"That said —"
"I've always backed Umbrella."
"Even though they were the first multinational corporation to field a mutant military."
Matt listened to his friend and let a small smile settle at the corner of his mouth. "You're not wrong."
"As it happens, I support Umbrella too."
"Everything they've done — we've watched it happen with our own eyes, haven't we?"
"The rebuilt neighborhood. The lower-interest student loan program. The accommodations they've introduced for people with disabilities."
"If the person running this company weren't apparently planning to run for office someday, I genuinely can't think of any other explanation for why a company would go this far."
While the two of them were talking, the television nearby picked up a follow-up report on the Mutant Coexistence Act.
The government was establishing a Mutant Association.
The Mutant Association would function similarly to a labor union.
The rationale was straightforward: if the world recognized mutants, mutants should have an organization that could advocate for the collective interests of their community.
If mutants faced injustice, or encountered social discrimination and institutional pressure, the Association would lobby the U.S. government to push for change.
And establishing any organization naturally required a president.
The announcement on television was informing the mutant community that the position of Association president would be determined by popular vote among mutants.
The two in the coffee shop heard this and looked at each other.
Foggy looked across the table at Matt with open curiosity. "Matt — your hearing is that strong, right? Does that count as a mutant ability?"
"If it does, you'd have the right to vote..."
"So —"
"Who are you going to vote for?"
Matt raised an eyebrow at the question. "Vote for who?"
"Would Matthew Lawrence work? I think he'd make a pretty good president for this..."
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