Perhaps she had caught wind of it, or perhaps Root of Hatred had some special sensory device. When Howard landed, she turned around as well.
Their noses were nearly touching, and the air instantly froze. Standing atop the heads of four giant statues, the midnight wind carried a biting chill.
Madame Hydra did not retreat. She had never intended to retreat when she came to the United States.
Howard did not retreat either, because Deathstroke behind him was holding him in place with one hand.
The two stared silently at each other through the golden octopus mask. Howard was rather relieved to discover that with that mask on, the Hydra leader felt far less imposing.
He had met Red Skull and Zemo. Those people had all been lunatics, while this one before him seemed quite calm.
Just as Su Ming circled to the side and watched the two stand there as if frozen, wondering whether they might develop mutual admiration and involuntarily blow each other a kiss, Madame Hydra spoke first.
"Nice beard."
Howard had considered countless possibilities, but he had never expected an opening like that. He glanced up at the sky, thought for a moment, and tentatively replied, "Uh, thanks?"
The woman turned away, leaving him with her back as she slowly walked toward the edge of Statue Mountain. Looking down at the white snow below, she muttered in a mechanical tone, "Someone betrayed me."
Howard scratched at his temple and secretly signaled Su Ming with his eyes as he said, "I don't know about that, but you definitely didn't come to the United States this time to promote fashion trends, did you?"
Root of Hatred was no longer looking at him. Her gaze behind the golden mask shifted to Deathstroke, and she slowly nodded.
"Deathstroke, the legendary