He wasn't so naive to think that Hydra was gone; he had worked too long in various places not to know that they were there, that they existed all over the world and no where would be free of them without significant hard work. He had no direction though, not real need to go and hunt them down because he didn't care enough about this world to think of saving it. Right now, he had to be selfish; he had to find a balance and purpose for himself and if it lead him in the direction of freedom and death to Hydra, he would focus on it only then.

"Hydra lives somewhere in every country of the world," he said simply, shrugging his shoulders as he were unconcerned about the spread. "Defeating the heads here simply means there's new ranks for advancement. Every last one of them needs to be eliminated if you want a world free of it."

He didn't mind her taking a step back, pleased that she recognized the danger that he presented. Yet, he felt a well of disappointment to her answer, his eyebrows drawing together as his lips twisted into a disapproving frown. "I 'was' all that, was I? Now I am nothing to you?" He turned his face aside, letting his hair slide over his cheek to obscure his wounded expression but not before he made certain she caught a glimpse of it. "I have nothing, Stephanie. If you've truly left me behind, I have nothing at all."