Sandstorm {Discontinued}{Rewritten}

14. Killer Hawk

The Legends stood around the wet lawn, a patch of dirt in front of them where they had just buried Professor Boardman. Kendra and Carter were standing next to the makeshift headstone, holding hands and looking down solemnly.

Deserey watched them quietly. She was trying to wrap her head around their situation, but the truth was she couldn't possibly fathom it. How could she, when she refused to imagine her own son's death? Hell, she refused to accept that anything could ever harm him, never mind kill him. Deserey didn't want to hear or see her kids hurt, ever. Even if it was just in her mind's eye.

The only one who could remotely understand was Rip, seeing as how he had actually lost his son. He had actually held his child in his arms and watched him die...

Deserey glanced over at the captain. He didn't look back at her, though. Instead, he kept his eyes downcast at the ground beneath his feet. She wondered if he was blaming himself for this other kid's death. (Even though he was technically an old man.) Sara was playing with her nails gingerly. Ray and Jax were huddled together in the back. It was weird, the way the loss of a perfect stranger could move so many people.

The hawks turned around after a moment, ready to head back to the Waverider. But, like on all dangerous missions, an ugly monster attacked. It came from out of no where, swooping past in a gray blur, knocking the hawks off their feet.

"What the heck was that thing?" Jax shouted, eyes wide with surprise.

"Uh, a speedster?" Ray guessed.

Another gray blur whizzed by, startling Dez. Leonard looked around calmly, hand placed on his cold gun. "Doesn't feel like it," he muttered.

Deserey whipped her head to the side, watching as yet another blur whooshed past her. She shoved her hand in her sand bag, her nerves going rigged. So far, she had survived two battles, but that had only been because she'd gotten lucky.... She really hoped she hadn't run out of luck.

A loud screech brought Deserey's attention to the sky. She gasped at what she saw. It was a monster, pulled straight out of a Stephen King novel. The thing had pale, grey skin, leathery like an old lady's purse. Dark, beady eyes pierced Deserey like a knife. It had razer sharp teeth poking out from its mouth and thin strands of hair on top of its ugly, mishapped head. For finger nails the creature had long talons, dripping with a red liquid. Deserey's legs buckled from underneath her, as she realized the substance was blood. Human blood.

The creature was being suspended in mid air by a pair of dark brown wings, caked in mud. Deserey glanced around at her team mates, worried that she might be seeing things, but fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how one looked at it) they all appeared to be just as freaked as she was.

With another ear drum shattering cry, the beast swooped down, flapping its wings wildly. As the creature dived for Sara, eight more beasts just like it appeared, flying at the other Legends.

"Get back to the ship!" Rip yelled. The Legends didn't hesitate. Len fired an icy blast at one of the creatures, sending it flying across the grass. Kendra smacked another one back, as she and Carter bolted for the time ship. Once everyone was behind her, Deserey tossed her fistful of sand in the air, blinding the creatures, making them squeal. Then, she turned, bolting into the Waverider and closing the cargo bay door behind her.

"Hawk things," Mick grunted, as the team hurried for the bridge.

"That's a new one," Len nodded. He walked over to the console, leaning on the table, as he stared out the window with a scowl. The hawk creatures were swarming them from the outside, but they weren't attacking the ship. Deserey guessed they didn't see it, because the Waverider was cloaked.