He wasn't aware of the hand rising up from the murky floor of shadows behind him. He was struggling with the killer cord and not letting the fear turn him into the Hulk. Rampaging through the mansion would not be good. He had rampaged through New York a few months ago.

He tried turning his head to keep his eye out of stabbing range and tried pulling the cord apart. He wasn't superstrong, but he had gotten back on working out. Trying to get back to his normal. He grunted and pulled.

He was movement out of the corner of his eye. He tried to shift a little to get a better look at what was happening. Though his attention was more on trying not to die.