Hawke stood behind the desk, looking at the photo in his hand, then at the woman who walked in, as if stepping out of the photo.
Viper Madame Ophelia Sarkissian was also looking at Hawke, who had appeared in her office at some unknown time, standing behind her desk and holding a photo of herself with Anna.
The moment their eyes met.
The instant Ophelia met Hawke's deep blue eyes, which seemed to shimmer with countless stars, she felt as if she had been transported to a strange Universe.
Solitude.
Coldness.
And a bone-chilling chill.
But she quickly recovered.
She silently closed her office door, then stood still, unmoving, meeting Hawke's gaze.
Hawke first glanced at the woman in the photo with Anna, then looked at the woman in front of him, before retracting his gaze and placing the photo back in its original position.
"Your name!"
"…Ophelia."
Ophelia was startled for a moment, then quickly responded, her voice not as seductive and alluring as when she had spoken to Alexander earlier, but rather calm, even giving a sense of reassurance.
After placing the photo back in its original spot, Hawke listened to Ophelia's self-introduction, raised an eyebrow, put his hands in his pockets, and looked again at Ophelia, who was standing at the door, her posture very straight, as if confirming something.
"Viper Madame?"
"…Yes."
Ophelia nodded again in affirmation.
Hawke chuckled.
Her name is Ophelia.
And she's from HYDRA.
And she has long, emerald green hair like a bamboo leaf viper, so only the infamous Viper Madame, who manipulated Wolverine Logan, the legendary HYDRA Madame, could perfectly match these three key pieces of information.
Indeed.
He was right.
However, this World has no Mutants, so there is no Wolverine Logan; at least, Mutants do not exist in this main Universe.
But this Ophelia…
She is indeed a Mutant, or more accurately, an Inhuman.
Hawke glanced at Ophelia and instantly sensed the peculiar energy fluctuations hidden beneath Ophelia's dark green uniform.
Legend has it that Viper Madame is highly venomous; a single kiss can turn Wolverine Logan from an iron tough guy into a weakling.
He wondered if it was true.
Hawke thought curiously.
But this was not why he was here.
Hawke's gaze returned to the photo that had been placed back on the desk.
"What is your relationship with Anna?"
"Friends."
Ophelia, standing at the door, seemed to remember something, looked at Hawke, and added a sentence.
"Very good friends."
"Is that so?"
Hawke heard this, looked at Ophelia, then at the smile she forced, and chuckled: "I will confirm this; you had better not be lying."
With that said.
He directly took over, as if he were the Master here and Ophelia, standing at the door, was his guest, pointing to the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked what was known as the most expensive place in all of Asia.
"Sit!"
"…Thank you."
Ophelia breathed a sigh of relief, said thank you, and like a guest, a rather nervous one at that, she walked to the sofa in her shoes, then gathered her skirt and sat upright on the sofa, facing Hawke.
Hawke also walked over, but he did not sit on the sofa; instead, he went to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down at what was known as the most expensive place in all of Asia.
Ophelia, sitting on the sofa, dared not move.
Hawke's voice was faint.
"When I came here, I thought about directly turning this place into a White expanse like Wakanda with one punch."
"A vast expanse of White, looking very clean."
"But…"
Hawke said, turning around and sitting on the sofa opposite Ophelia: "After I landed, I saw a big Fire, which somewhat neutralized my anger, and I just saw your photo with Anna, so, I only ask you one question: Was it you who impersonated Anna and spoke to me?"
Anna was not in the island nation.
This was something he discovered the moment he landed in the island nation, when his Sixth Sense instantly expanded and enveloped the main island.
It was precisely because of this that he called Sharon to ask for the exact location of the S.H.I.E.L.D. branch in the island nation.
But he couldn't be sure at the time.
What if Anna had just left the main island and gone somewhere else?
But now…
Hawke completely confirmed it when he saw Ophelia's body suddenly stiffen the moment she entered the office.
The Anna who spoke to him at New York S.H.I.E.L.D. was not the real Anna.
So the question is.
Where is Anna?
It couldn't be that the Anna who spoke to him at New York S.H.I.E.L.D. was fake, and the Anna who spoke to him outside Wakanda the time before last, telling him she had been promoted and come to the island nation, was also fake, could it?
If that were truly the case.
Heh heh.
HYDRA still wants to fight again.
Fight your mother's leg.
Ophelia, sitting opposite, heard Hawke's question, felt his boundless killing intent, and after a sudden shiver, quickly shook her head.
"It wasn't me, Mr. Phoenix."
"Is that so?"
Hawke's gaze was deep, looking directly at Ophelia: "Then who burned the Jingguo Privy (Yasukuni Shrine)? Don't tell me Anna called and asked you for help."
"No."
"It was Alexander Pierce."
Ophelia betrayed Alexander Pierce, who had called her for help a few hours ago, almost without hesitation.
Although Alexander Pierce had promised her a favor.
But…
Her life was almost gone, so what good was a favor?
Ophelia knew very well that the only reason she was still alive was not because Hawke didn't want to kill her, but simply because there was a photo of her and Anna on her desk.
That was the only reason she was still alive and able to speak to Hawke.
But what if she chose to hide it?
Ophelia had no doubt that in the next second, the entire Ginza would become a clean, vast White expanse, just as Hawke had just said.
Hawke showed no expression as he heard the name Ophelia revealed.
"Alexander Pierce?"
"Yes."
Ophelia nodded hastily, then, without reservation, recounted the entire conversation she had with Alexander Pierce when he called her a few hours ago.
Hawke had actually suspected Alexander Pierce first after confirming that the Anna who spoke to him at New York S.H.I.E.L.D. was not the real Anna.
Ophelia's testimony now merely further proved this point.
It's just…
"The time before last, outside Wakanda, Alexander Pierce contacted Anna, and Anna told me she had come to the island nation to handle business here."
"No."
Ophelia shook her head decisively and said to Hawke: "The island nation is my territory; Anna is my friend, and I welcome her to visit, but she is Alexander Pierce's subordinate, and I only have a cooperative relationship with Alexander Pierce."
Hawke smiled.
But this smile, to Ophelia, was particularly chilling; it looked as if Hawke was about to devour someone.
But Hawke quickly calmed the raging Fire that rose in his heart after Ophelia finished speaking, and looked at Ophelia.
"Then where is Anna?"
"I don't know."
Ophelia said honestly: "Anna and I haven't been in touch for a long time."
Hawke raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't you say you were good friends with Anna? You haven't been in touch for so long, aren't you curious?"
"I asked."
"And then…"
"Alexander said Anna was on a mission, so I didn't press further, after all, I only have a cooperative relationship with Alexander."
"Is that so?"
Hawke heard this, looked at Ophelia, who did not seem to be lying, and nodded thoughtfully: "Then when was the last time you contacted Anna?"
Ophelia frowned, met Hawke's gaze, thought carefully for a moment, then looked at Hawke.
"Mid-July last year."
"July?"
"Yes."
Hawke listened to the timeline Ophelia gave and recalled the information he had asked Anna to keep an eye on regarding when Thor's girlfriend, Jane Foster, would arrive in London.
That's right.
He also seemed to have found Anna's phone unreachable after London.
So, from July last year, Anna has either been missing or imprisoned?
Hawke thought to himself.
The reason he was so sure Anna wasn't dead was actually very simple.
He hadn't seen Anna's soul in the Underworld.
Don't forget.
Hawke had an agreement with Mephisto that after his friends died, their souls would not go to hell, but to his Underworld.
So…
Missing or imprisoned, which is it?
Hawke's thoughts churned.
The next second.
He sneered.
Why think so much? Just go and ask Alexander Pierce.
Anyway, one sentence.
HYDRA's chance for a second struggle.
Completely gone!
Hawke thought to himself, then immediately rose from the sofa, intending to go to Washington to help out.
However…
Just as he was about to leave, his peripheral vision noticed Ophelia, who had also come to her senses and quickly stood up with him after seeing him rise.
Hawke stopped, turned, and his gaze once again fell upon Ophelia.
"You had better truly be Anna's friend."
"I swear."
Ophelia swore solemnly.
Hawke heard this, stared at Ophelia for a few seconds, then retracted his gaze.
"Then you had better pray that when I find Anna, her answer is the same as yours."
"Otherwise, you will die a worse death than Alexander Pierce!"
With that said.
Hawke's figure instantly vanished from the office, and when he reappeared, he was already tens of thousands of miles above, accompanied by the sudden appearance of a sonic boom cloud, instantly transforming into a rainbow light and sweeping towards the direction of Washington.
…
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