How was that possible? How did he know? Was it because of that photo?
No, he hadn't tagged the location, and an old fossil like Magneto probably didn't even use social media.
As he was thinking, the man appeared.
He slowly descended from the sky, and the girls looked up at him.
He wore his signature helmet and purple cape, a black suit with red chest armor, and purple bracers on his arms.
"You."
His voice was soft, yet deafening. His eyes beneath the shadow of his helmet were fixed on Jean.
"You, a mutant, powerful and perfect."
"Who are you?!" Jean shouted, shielding her friends.
"I am Magneto, a mutant like you." His cape fluttered in the wind. "I've come to make you an offer."
"Oh? What kind of offer? Want some fashion lessons? Capes are so last century, dude!"
Jean shot back.
Peter raised an appreciative eyebrow from the rooftop. She could already roast a villain so smoothly on her first night out. He was so proud.
"I offer you salvation, Jean Grey," Magneto said slowly.
Jean sucked in a breath. "Y-you know my name?"
"I have my ways." Magneto nodded. "Join me, and I will show you a world unlike any you have ever seen. There, you will not have to hide who you are, or what kind of mutant you are."
"Join me, Jean. You will never have to hide again. Show the world how extraordinary you are."
Jean paused, and Peter could see her thinking.
Just as she was about to speak, Mary Jane suddenly shouted, "She's not going anywhere! She's staying here!"
Magneto turned to Mary Jane.
"This does not concern you, human."
His tone was full of contempt when he said "human."
"She's our friend! That makes it our business!" Felicia stepped forward, shielding Jean at her side.
"No second-rate scumbag is taking her away from us!" Liz shouted.
"Enough!"
Magneto roared, lifting Liz's car into the air with a raised hand before slamming it into the ground with a tremendous crash.
The car was completely wrecked.
He glared at Liz, and the girl shrank back in fear.
"Think about it, Jean," Magneto hissed. "They are your friends now, but what will they do when you surpass them in every way?"
Jean sucked in a breath, while the girls looked confused.
"We mutants are stronger, smarter. We are the next step in human evolution. Why should you limit yourself? Why should you hold back just to make others comfortable?"
"To these humans, you are a god. Come, let me show you."
He held out his hand.
Jean looked frightened. She looked at her friends and swallowed.
"I-if I go with you, will you leave them alone?"
Magneto nodded. "I swear on my life and honor."
Jean nodded and took a step forward.
"Don't go, Jean," Felicia growled. "He's lying to you."
"I-I have to protect you," Jean said. "You're my only friends."
That was when Peter decided to intervene.
He had wanted to see what Jean would choose, and she hadn't disappointed him.
Peter quickly pulled out two liquid nitrogen capsules and threw them at Magneto.
Magneto turned toward the two incoming metal capsules, raised a hand to stop them in midair, then crushed them outright. Freezing liquid burst out, instantly turning into a cloud of icy mist.
Peter swung over under cover of the mist and, before Magneto's astonished eyes, drove both feet hard into his breastbone.
He used the momentum to flip backward, landing steadily in front of the girls.
"Spider-Man?!" Jean stared at him in surprise, and everyone's faces lit up.
"Hey, Marvel Girl! Didn't I tell you to stay out of trouble?"
Peter chuckled and turned to Magneto.
"Cape guy! What old, tired villain movie set did you wander off? That outfit and those lines are about as clichéd as it gets."
"That's what I said!" Liz grinned.
Magneto clutched his chest and growled, "Spider, this does not concern you."
"Oh, it absolutely does."
Peter lowered his center of gravity, his fingers reaching for his web-grenade magazine.
"You just threatened civilians' lives, Magneto. That makes it my business."
"Unless you think you can stop me."
Magneto raised his hand, summoning all kinds of metal from the street. Road signs, streetlights, mailboxes, even chunks of concrete with rebar in them.
"Get out of my way."
"Not a chance."
Peter turned to Felicia and whispered, "Get them out of here and hide."
Felicia nodded. "Okay."
"I can help!" Jean shouted.
"You need to stay with your friends and protect them. I can't hold him off for long."
Peter swallowed. He wasn't joking about that.
"Don't argue, Marvel Girl!"
Jean looked dejected, but still nodded.
Peter turned to Magneto.
"Ready?"
"Don't push me, Spider," Magneto snarled. "This is your final warning."