When Deadpool first appeared in the Savage Land and began leading primitive tribes to clash with Hydra, Zemo didn't think much of it.
Although the Savage Land was located deep underground, shielded from teleportation magic by Norn Stones and signal-blocked by advanced technology, it wasn't truly isolated from the world. Over the past few decades, various Antarctic explorers had stumbled into the Savage Land only to be eliminated by Hydra.
Therefore, the appearance of a man like Deadpool—who was liable to turn up anywhere—within the Savage Land was still within the bounds of acceptable logic.
More importantly, Deadpool was a mercenary, not a superhero. His presence in Antarctica, or even the Savage Land, could easily be attributed to a private contract. It was even possible that Nick Fury had caught wind of something and tossed the Merc with a Mouth into the mix—Zemo wasn't even aware that Deadpool had been released from his "mansion prison" yet; he assumed the mercenary was still incarcerated.
However, the moment reports came in that Kitty Pryde had been spotted phasing through the interior of the Antarctic base, Zemo knew disaster was imminent. An X-Man appearing in a secluded, top-secret base in the middle of nowhere?
He could fathom the Avengers finding them, but the X-Men?
In an instant, Zemo felt as if he understood everything. His blood pressure spiked to the point that he couldn't help but roar: "Quickly! Contact every Hydra branch immediately! Teleport every cadre and combat unit here! Someone has breached us and obtained the coordinates to every one of our sites except for Headquarters!"
Hearing this, Doctor Faustus looked like he was having an incredibly hard time maintaining his composure. "Shouldn't we be organizing a retreat instead? Evacuate everyone to Headquarters and regroup?"
"You understand nothing! If they've found our location, they surely know that I, Zemo, am here. Captain America will never pass up such an opportunity! I will annihilate Captain America right here, right now!
"Immediately! At once! Mobilize all available forces! I want Captain America dead on this spot!"
Doctor Faustus stared at Zemo, his expression strained. As a younger man born after World War II, he simply couldn't comprehend Zemo's pathological obsession with Captain America. Sure, the Captain was a threat, but weren't there countless other threats they needed to handle? Why fixate solely on him?
Zemo, your whole life has been ruined by Captain America.
Out of respect for his leader, Faustus could only nod and set off to contact the others. Simultaneously, he notified Hydra branches worldwide to begin transferring assets—they would use the Antarctic base to bog down the Avengers and buy as much time as possible.
However, Faustus didn't expect the enemy to arrive so quickly. Soon, as brilliant "fireworks" erupted across Hydra Mountain, Iron Man hacked into their power armor and began a massive sweep of the facility. Following him, the Hulk leaped into the air and crashed into the ground, beginning his characteristic rampage.
Zemo, conversely, let out an excited cry.
"Good! A magnificent explosion! Better than 9/11!"
What the hell is wrong with you!
Faustus realized that Zemo was right about one thing: they had to pull every scrap of Hydra's combat power to this godforsaken place immediately. If they didn't kill Captain America, their leader would remain a raving lunatic. At the very least, they needed to bring in the one person who could talk sense into Zemo.
Soon, blue vortices spiraled in the sky. Massive Hydra robots, flanked by swarms of power-armored soldiers and miscellaneous units, began their deployment. They surged toward Hydra Mountain like a dark tide. Zemo excitedly drew his sword, intending to join the fray, but the appearance of a certain man stopped him in his tracks. It was a man with a head of white hair but an unnaturally youthful body, wearing custom green Hydra battle armor. He walked calmly toward Zemo.
"Daniel Whitehall—you've arrived?"
"Naturally. I was worried you'd let your temper flare and go on a suicide mission against Captain America. Don't forget our plan, Zemo. What happens if your superhero friends realize that during this 'golden opportunity' to wipe out Hydra, one of their own has disappeared?"
Zemo looked at the man before him: Daniel Whitehall. Aside from Zemo himself, Arnim Zola, and Baron Strucker, Whitehall was the only "old-timer" left who had lived through World War II. In fact, he went back even further; long before Hydra was restructured, Whitehall had been a founding member alongside Zemo's father, the elder Zemo who had been killed by Cap.
Though he had no interest in leading Hydra, the man codenamed "Kraken" was essentially the grand instructor of Hydra's forces. It was he who had traveled to Japan to bring the Hand into the fold; Viper and the Serpent Society were also his students.
Most importantly, he was loyal and exceptionally capable.
"Fine. I leave the command to you. Do you think we can win?"
"I've brought the modified soldiers of the Serpent Society, Hive's artificial Inhumans, and Zola's 'toys'—nearly half of our total strength. I didn't summon the Hand or Roxxon's people because it wasn't necessary, and they have their own agendas, much like you."
These forces couldn't defeat the Avengers, and even if they could, they wouldn't stand a chance against the reinforcements that would inevitably follow. Zemo was certain of this. Kraken merely looked at him and patted him on the chest. "Go, Zemo. Infiltrate them. The moment Project Insight begins, the world will be ours."
Zemo didn't waste words; he turned and left. As he walked away, he heard Kraken's mocking voice behind him: "Wouldn't it be hilarious if Nick Fury truly believes that Alexander Pierce's pathetic little Zola Algorithm system is the entirety of Project Insight?"
"Young Fury is a bit more formidable than his father, so I'm looking forward to that moment. Have fun, Whitehall."
Watching Zemo depart with the Norn Stone in hand, Kraken turned toward the smoke-shrouded Hydra Mountain and frowned with displeasure. The Chief of Security for the Antarctic base was a distant relative of his, and for the base to have been compromised so easily was unacceptable. He—no, the entire Antarctic base—would have to pay the price.
Kraken took a deep breath. It would be best if they could wipe out the Avengers in this battle; if not, he would at least make them suffer.
"Current troop deployment is at less than 15%! What are you people doing? Send the reinforcements in now! No, wait—do not launch an immediate assault. Muster the forces first, and do not move within a 50-kilometer radius of the base! Where are the nuclear warheads? Bombard Hydra Mountain with nukes for half an hour first!"
"Once the dust settles, then we move in to finish off the Avengers!"