They were the singularity hunters. Protecting the status quo at all costs.
They were funded by large shadowy men in cigar smoke filled rooms from around the world.
The singularity would make everyone happy and equal, more or less, regardless of what form it eventually took. This would render wealth and power meaningless.
And so, the singularity hunters were formed. These were not men who believed that humanity should stand on its own or humanity's greatness could only come from humanity. Those were promptly shot and their bodies dumped in the middle of the ocean.
These were psychopaths who would use any excuse to murder another, would join any hate group as long as it promised violence. Those with power supplied them with the money, equipment, transport, and weapons to take out their urges of violence on "acceptable targets."
These thugs had been everywhere. Flame throwers at fairy grottos in a little girl's backyard. Napalm n a humble toy shop.
Those with power covered it up or made sure the media's attention was elsewhere, and given who made up the singularity hunters, it was easy to pin them as mindless murderers if the police got too close to the truth.
Now, this humble transporting magic store (as many tended to be), was the latest target. Their mission was simple, machine gun down anyone inside and set the place on fire and pass it off as urban terrorism.
The angels in Heaven meanwhile, had had enough.
God had given the instruction for the next evolutionary leap to be given to his children, his precious humanity a century ago.
But those with power did not wish to see the status quo, and thus their power, to vanish, and were willing to hire murderers to insure it didn't.
Lucifer and the other rebel angels didn't mind. It just meant more time for them to show God how free will had been a stupid thing to give humans to begin with. (Woe to the human who mistook Lucifer for an idealistic rebel crusader who fought in the name of humanity.).
Finally, in Heaven, a decision was made. It was time to try the singularity again. Only this time, things would be different.