One month had passed since the chaotic vacation in Kauai, Hawaii, and the world had changed faster than most people could keep up with.
In just thirty days, crime rates across the nation had skyrocketed. Bank robberies, street violence, and powered gang activity surged as criminals grew bolder, sensing weakness in the government's much-hyped Ultron sentries. Yet in the eyes of the public, one figure had risen above the chaos: Tighten. The new hero appeared again and again, stopping threats before the robotic sentries could even arrive on scene. His swift, brutal efficiency made him a symbol of peace and strength to ordinary citizens.
He was called the Symbol of Peace.
The Global Defense Network (GDN) could do nothing to stop him. Their attempts to reign him in only made them look weaker. Emboldened by Tighten's success, other vigilante heroes began emerging from the shadows, taking justice into their own hands. The Ultron sentries, once paraded as the ultimate protectors, were now openly mocked in public opinion and on social media.
And because of this the GDN finally made a shocking announcement, broadcast live across every major network.
The Super Relocation Act, the controversial law that had banned superhero vigilantism for years was officially abolished. Superheroes were allowed to operate again. However, a new law immediately replaced it: the Superhero Registration Act.
Every hero who wished to work legally would now have to register their superhero name, powers, abilities, and known limitations.
While some private personal information would be collected, the GDN promised it would remain strictly confidential within their databases. Registered heroes would be ranked according to their power level and assigned to stations near their home cities or regions across the globe. They could also choose to join an officially recognized superhero agency for additional support and resources.
In a pure Marvel universe, such an act might have sparked fierce resistance and divided the superhero community. But here, the public took it in stride. After all, something similar had already existed once before. People were tired of chaos. They wanted order.
During the same broadcast, the GDN also unveiled one of their most prized creations: XJ-9, better known simply as Jenny. The moment her sleek robotic form appeared on screen, the crowd cheered. Many still remembered her heroic actions during the alien invasion. Seeing her standing tall beside GDN officials brought visible relief to millions watching at home.
While the Ultron sentries would not be scrapped, the GDN assured everyone. Instead, they were being upgraded to newer, faster models capable of responding more effectively to powered threats. These upgraded units would soon be stationed in far more locations, ready to assist at a moment's notice.
And today… registration had officially begun.
_____
Dexter sat motionless in his reinforced chair, eyes sharp behind his glasses as he faced the massive QT-3000 supercomputer. Multiple holographic and physical monitors surrounded him, bathing the dimly lit room in shifting blue and white light.
On the central large screen, live news coverage played. Roxanne Ritchi stood in front of a massive, imposing building, microphone in hand, her voice professional yet laced with excitement.
"We are live from the newly constructed GDN Nexus Command Center in downtown Metro City, where the Superhero Registration Process is officially underway." She said, her voice steady despite the electric atmosphere around her.
"Behind me, you can see dozens of individuals, some in full superhero suits, others wearing nothing more than simple masks or civilian clothes with a hint of their heroic identity lining up to enter the facility. The atmosphere here is one of cautious optimism."
Roxanne turned and approached a tall woman in a sleek silver and blue costume who was waiting in line. "Excuse me, ma'am. You're one of the first heroes registering today. How do you feel about the new Superhero Registration Act?"
The woman offered a confident smile. "It's about time we could do this openly. I just want to protect my city without having to hide anymore."
Roxanne nodded smoothly. "Powerful words. We wish you the best."
She faced the camera again. "Unfortunately, newscasters and media personnel are not permitted inside the Command Center during the registration process. The GDN has stated that all evaluations and personal data collection will remain strictly private for security reasons."
Dexter's lips curled into a small, knowing smirk.
"Strictly private?" he muttered. "Cute."
His fingers never stopped moving across the keyboard.
On the surrounding monitors, completely different footage played, live feeds he had quietly accessed by slipping past the GDN's embarrassingly weak security protocols.
One screen showed a blank white evaluation room where a young man was demonstrating his power: levitating several metal spheres in controlled patterns.
Another feed displayed an interview room where a masked hero was calmly answering questions about his name, age, power origin, and criminal record. A third monitor revealed a fitting area where several supers stood still as advanced scanners took precise measurements for custom superhero suits and containment gear.
Every second of footage was being recorded and fed directly into SCALE's ever-expanding database.
Dexter's eyes flicked rapidly between the screens as new entries populated in real time. Names, powers, demonstrated capabilities, weaknesses observed during testing, psychological profiles, potential threat levels, recruitment value and, neutralization strategies.
Everything was useful.
He could already see who might become valuable allies, who could be guided, who might need watching… and who would have to be stopped if they ever went rogue.
As new data flooded in, Dexter typed a single line into SCALE's core philosophy log, quoting one of his favorite fictional mentors:
"Preparation is not paranoia. It is the difference between survival and extinction."
— Batman
He leaned back slightly, watching as another hero's power demonstration played out on screen. A low hum of satisfaction escaped him.
Dexter's fingers resumed their rapid typing, updating threat matrices and cross-referencing new data with everything he already knew.
The age of heroes had officially returned and he intended to be several steps ahead of all of them.