Viper Game (GhostWalkers 11)

Trap was a little taller than Wyatt, with blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Not just any blue, but a cold glacier blue that chilled a man to the bone when Trap stared at him. His nickname had come not only from the ice water running in his veins, but the glaciers he had for eyes.

Draden Freeman, aka the "Sandman," had been a model. He had the kind of body no one believed could be real. He'd been in demand by the largest high-end companies and made bank, enough to put him through college, grad school and his master's program. When he had his degrees he joined the GhostWalkers. Like Trap, there didn't seem to be a reasonable explanation for it. He was a man seemingly with everything and yet, like each of them, he was driven to do something all of them knew was a little insane.

Draden was fast with his hands when working with the injured, able to find collapsing veins and salvage the situation when everyone else might think the patient was lost. Wyatt wanted him in his corner if he was wounded. Draden would never stop fighting for a wounded soldier, breathing for them if he had to.

He seemed easygoing enough, much like Wyatt, but like Wyatt, he wasn't at all. He was moody and ran long distances. Wyatt suspected he ran to distance himself from his demons - whatever they were - but they always came back to haunt him. Draden was a hard worker and never shirked. He often pulled double shifts because he didn't sleep much. In fact, Wyatt wasn't certain he actually slept. Certainly he'd never seen the man do so.

Still, Draden had the same loyalty to his team they all had. They were a tight bunch, protecting one another and watching each other for signs of overload. Draden was one of the rare anchors who could pull psychic energy away from any team member who needed it. Like the rest of Team Four, Draden was a natural healer.

The two team members got out of the taxi just at the gates of the Fontenot property. Both looked fit in spite of the fact that they'd been nearly crushed when the helicopter had gone down. Wyatt still wasn't certain how Draden had survived, buried under the wreckage the way he'd been, or how Trap had gotten to him, moving heavy metal with his arm broken in three places.

They greeted him with their usual half smiles, carrying their duffel bags effortlessly, although both bags weighed a considerable amount. Wyatt gave them a one-handed hug, looking them over for the effects of the firefight they'd been in. Touching both helped him to "see" their injuries. GhostWalkers healed rapidly. That was part of their DNA now, and Trap and Draden, like Malichai and Ezekiel, were nearly 100 percent.

"Thanks for comin'," he greeted.

Trap shrugged. Draden grinned at him. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. Our Wyatt, already a daddy. And three little ones. Triplets, no less. You always said you wanted a big family."

Malichai and Ezekiel joined in the laughter. Wyatt had sworn off women and declared he was going to his grave an old lonely man rather than deal with one again.

"Bayou man got himself a woman with a knife," Malichai reported. "Once he saw that, it was over. The love bug bit deep."

"Bug?" Ezekiel teased. "More like the viper sank her teeth deep."

Trap raised his eyebrow. "Are you calling his woman a viper?"

"Maybe not his woman, but his little girl has some nice fangs on her," Ezekiel clarified. "And the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"Oh, you boys are a laugh a minute," Wyatt said. "Until one of them accidentally does their teethin' on you. Ginger's been eyein' Malichai lately."

"Does she really release snake venom?" Trap asked, his eyes serious.

Wyatt turned to lead the way back to the house. "Yes, but I don' honestly know yet whether or not she has to always release venom when she bites. Most snakes don' have to and they can control the amount. Pepper told me they were all failed experiments. The three little ones are scheduled for termination."

Trap's breath hissed out of his lungs. "That's bullshit, killing a child you created because you screwed up."

"They would be difficult to raise," Draden pointed out. "Not that I advocate killing them, but taking them on is a huge responsibility. They could accidentally kill a family member."

"Which is why I called both of you to help," Wyatt said. "Not only do I want to get the other two out of that lab, I want to try to figure out a way to keep us all safe. We can cap their teeth as a temporary solution. Pepper has natural immunity to the cobra venom. I think her body is beginning to develop an immunity to the viper venom as well. If we can find a way to do that, not only for ma famille, but for the GhostWalkers, we could save a few lives."

"Do you have a lab?" Trap asked. "Because I've got one at my house that would be helpful."

"Unfortunately, Trap," Wyatt said, "we have to stay here. The children need this place for now, and I have to keep ma grand-mere safe as well."

Trap shrugged. "No big deal, we can build one here."

"I've got a small one started."

Trap stood on the porch, duffel bag in hand, looking around the bayou and the Fontenot home. "You build this?"

Wyatt nodded. "We started with a traditional frame home and my brothers and I built this one for Nonny."

"It's nice, Wyatt. Really nice," Trap said. "It feels like a home, not a mausoleum."

"I can't wait to meet your grandmother," Draden said. "You talk so much about her, I feel as if I already know her."

"She's the best cook," Malichai said. "I'm not even hungry. Well..." he hedged. "Okay, an hour or so after I eat, I go back for more. And there's always more."

"Which reminds me, you need to go out and check the traps," Wyatt said. "You're depletin' the supplies."

Laughter rang out again. Wyatt started to pull open the door just as the laughter faded to be replaced by the sounds of the bayou. The rhythm was broken. Off.

Someone's out there watchin' us, Wyatt said.

I feel them, Ezekiel said. I can slip around back and go hunting.

Take Malichai. I want to see if Whitney's soldiers have been called in to guard the compound or to track Pepper and the baby. If they have, it will make things much harder and more dangerous for everyone when we go in to get the other two babies out. Supersoldiers are unpredictable and volatile as a rule.

He made them into throwaways, just like he did those babies, Trap said, an edge to his voice.

He did, Wyatt agreed, but they were willin' participants for whatever reasons, just as we were. We knew goin' into this that the outcome might not be all we wanted it to be. Those babies - and the women - had no choice.

He yanked open the door, just a little bit harder than necessary. He detested reminding himself just how ridiculous he'd been allowing enhancements, although honestly, he knew he wouldn't give them up now.

"We can't help being who we are, Wyatt," Trap said quietly, placing one hand briefly on his shoulder. "You have a mind like mine. We ask too many questions and we need answers. You know me. I can't sleep for days on end sometimes when I'm working on something interesting. And when I'm bored... That's the most dangerous time of all."

Nonny greeted the two newcomers with a big smile. Both men towered over her diminutive figure. "Trap, it's good to finally meet you. Wyatt told me so much about you over these las' years. He tells me you boys serve with him."

"Yes, ma'am," Draden acknowledged with a slight nod of his head. "We're in the PJs with your grandson." The Pararescue Jumpers were the Air Force Special Forces team.

"Thank you for comin'," she said with great dignity. "The house is sturdy and warm and the fixin's are good, although nothin' fancy."

"We're not used to fancy, ma'am," Draden said, and then glanced over his shoulder at Trap. "None of us."

Her smile widened. "Wyatt tells me you boys know your way around a weapon or two. We may need that ifn' those men come lookin' for Pepper and Ginger again."

Pepper sat at the kitchen table and rose slowly to her feet as the two men came in. Her gaze jumped to Wyatt's face and then came back to rest on the newcomers. She'd argued about bringing in more men. Wyatt knew she still didn't trust the situation, not

any more than he did. They were still learning how to cope with her enhancements and his reactions to other men around her.

He saw Draden stop dead, his mouth forming a silent "O." Trap's reaction was a hesitation and a frown before he ran his hand through his hair.

"My fiancee, Pepper. She's the mother of my children." He wanted to stake his claim immediately and also indicate he expected them to protect her and give her respect. "Honey, this is Draden and Trap."

Draden nodded his head. Trap just stared at her. Wyatt knew he had to get used to men's reactions when they first saw Pepper, but still, it got under his skin.

"You can stow your gear in one of the bedrooms," Wyatt said to distract them.

"I expect you're hungry," Nonny said. "You can talk about your breakin over food. Night's still a couple of hours away and you'll need your strength." She looked around, frowning. "Where are Malichai and Ezekiel?"

"They're off scoutin' a bit, Nonny, nothin' to worry about. They'll be back soon," Wyatt assured.

What's wrong? Pepper asked, glancing out the window anxiously. Have the elite trackers come after us? I told you we couldn't wait very long before we went after the children.