Reckless Paradise [a descendants story]

Chapter Sixteen | Harper Hanson

She decided to have dinner with the rest of the Crew for the first time since the sickness had started. Sitting with the Sailors and Jukes, she heard the news from the rest of the island. As she had realized from the blond boy – Carlos – all gangs were suffering, especially those with younger members. Quinn hoped with all her heart that they had enough past knowledge to deal with this. She had been so focused on the Crew she had not given much thought to other VKs.

However they tried to avoid the topic, it was always there in the periphery. Contact between groups had greatly diminished, so Nia and Annabelle Tremaine, who had just started a fling, were separated.

"It just kinda sucks, you know?" Nia said. "We still hang out, but a ways apart."

"Not quite the same when you can't have your tongues down each other's throats, huh?" Jukes asked.

Nabil groaned. "You didn't have to put that picture in my head!"

Jukes grinned and slung back the last of their drink. "Hey, Hugo, where's your kid brother? He's usually hanging all over you."

Hugo shrugged. "As long as he's not following me around, I'm happy." Still, he looked around with some concern; Harper was nowhere on deck.

Cyrus had recently come back from the shop, so Quinn called over to him, "Hey, Cyrus, is Harper hanging around the shop again?"

He shook his head. "I haven't seen him all afternoon actually."

Just then, Jade ran onto the ship, out of breath, eyes terrified. Jax, who had been sitting with Saoirse and Blake, was on his feet in an instant, crossing the deck towards her. "What is it, Jade?" he asked when he reached her.

"Harper, he went to get medicine for Corinna," she gasped. Before she had finished, Hugo had bounded towards her. Quinn felt her heart sink as she remembered their conversation before Corinna fell ill. "He said Maleficent was hoarding the medicine," Jade continued.

"The little idiot's going to get himself killed," Hugo said, stalking to the armoury. In minutes, the Crew was ready to go.

Jax pulled Quinn aside. "Quinn, I know you want to help but –"

"I'll stay at the shop," she said. "I'm of more use there." She kissed his cheek. "Be safe."

He nodded and led the Crew into the city.

•••

"Quinn!" came the desperate call.

Quinn rushed down the stairs into the shop. The door opened and she saw that it was Hugo, Nia, and Nabil, carrying someone that looked awfully small.

It was Harper.

They laid him down at her feet, blood streaming from a wound in his chest. Hugo's face was desperate, face covered in tears. "Please, Quinn, can you save him?"

Quinn looked down at Harper's pale face, scrunched up with pain. I'm not an actual doctor, she thought desperately.

But she quickly knelt at his side, pulling away the scraps of a shirt that still clung to his body.

"I need alcohol, needle and thread, and bandages from the first aid box upstairs," she snapped at Nia and Nabil.

Using the scarf that someone had thrust at her, Quinn mopped up some of the blood. Nabil pulled a flask from inside his jacket and she quickly opened it.

"Now, Harper," Quinn said quietly, touching his face gently. "This is gonna hurt, but I need to disinfect the wound."

Harper nodded quickly.