HYDRO-VIPERS are qualified EELs (Cobra Frogmen) who volunteer to be surgically altered to withstand nitrogen narcosis and other side effects of deep diving. Synthetic webs are implanted between their fingers and subcutaneous fat production is stimulated by chemical injections to provide natural insulation. The long-term effects of these procedures are known to be psychologically destabilizing. In some ways, they just aren’t human anymore. The have a handshake like a dead mackerel and they leave damn spots on all the furniture. The are virtually undefeatable in underwater combat, like a great white shark – although sharks are friendlier.