I glanced at my watch - 3:42. Less than 3 minutes until the "shipment" hit the boulevard. I was already in the zone, behind the scope of a rifle bore-sighted to fire accurately at 800 yards. It had been a long time coming...

............

The "Heroes" and "Villains" had always fought each other. As a child, it was fun to watch them race through the city, smashing cars and buildings, seeing the Hero always best the Villain. And then you grew up and realized it was all fucking bullshit for the cameras. The Villain got captured but escaped immediately, the Hero was lauded with praise. It didn't take a huge investigation to uncover the fact that it was all staged. All the destruction, the innocent people killed, all so the "Heroes" got more funding and the "Villains" got more targets to steal. They never protected the innocent, they wouldn't save you from a mugger. It's why I had bought a gun.

Everyone had a story of these bastards ruining their lives. Mine was one you'd probably heard a hundred times. Driving home when a fight broke out between Cosmic (the "Hero") and Darkshade (the "Villain"). I knew it wasn't going to end well with buildings already damaged, so I stopped my car and got out so I could get my kids to safety.

I had just cleared the car when they barreled through it, smashing it into a pile of old rubble 100 yards away. There was... there was no way for anyone inside to survive. It looked like a crushed pop can. When I got there, Cosmic was monologuing about evil and whatever other bullshit he used to justify murdering my family. I don't think he even knew I was there. But a single .40 caliber hollow-point ended his bullshit for good.

Darkshade just sat there, stunned, as he looked at his colleague's half-missing head and the bits of brain he was now wearing. I felt nothing as I did the same to him.

............

In the years that followed, groups dedicated to eliminating those with super powers sprang up all over the world. And they were very effective when it came to achieving their goals. The Heroes and Villains went into hiding, except in certain cities where they were protected by corrupt police and politicians.

And so it was that myself and a group of anti-Super fighters found ourselves in Manhattan. It had taken weeks to smuggle in our equipment and plant the rumors of a shipment of cash and platinum being moved through the city, but we knew it would work. The "Heroes" and "Villains" couldn't resist making a play for that sort of money.

3:45... the decoy truck rounded the corner, right on time. Freeze Frame jumped in front of it, causing the autonomous vehicle to stop. My crosshair was already on his head... I exhaled... and squeezed the trigger.