Chapter 24—Recruiting Christina

"Christina," her mom called upstairs. "Someone's here to see you."

Christina ran down to find Jake standing in the living room.

"Hi," he said as she walked in.

"Hi. What's up?" she asked, and then glared at her mom.

"You kids let me know if you want anything to drink," her mom said, and disappeared through the swinging doors into the kitchen. Jake looked at Christina.

"I wanted to talk to you about the expedition, remember?"

Outside the school building a few days earlier, Christina had been embarrassed when a giant German shepherd dragged her by her skirt over to Jake and Nikki, who were having a private conversation. Christina had recently arrived from California and didn't know many kids yet. The friends she did have were free spirits—guys with beaded necklaces and girls who wore dresses and crystals around their necks. Christina loved crystals and often studied the healing properties of different gems.

That day the dog was so strong she couldn't stop her feet from moving in the direction he wanted her to go, right over to Jake and Nikki. Jake laughed and slapped his leg, but Nikki's eyes grew wide, and she glared at Christina as if the new girl had just popped out of an egg.

"We were just talking about you," Jake said.

"We were not," Nikki said.

"We would have been in less than ten seconds," Jake said, and rubbed Ranger's head. "I was about to suggest we ask Christina to join the expedition and Ranger here carried out my wish."

"What expedition?" Christina asked, looking from Jake to Nikki.

"I'm the expedition leader, Jake," Nikki said. "So please discuss things with me first."

"Whatever, Nikki, but you just finished saying we need another person besides Devin, and your dog pulled Christina over. So it seemed obvious Christina's that person."

Nikki narrowed her eyes. If those pupils were laser beams, they'd zap right through me, Christina thought.

"I guess...if Ranger insists," Nikki said. She wondered why she always behaved this way. Sometimes it felt like a robot was moving her parts.

"Do you have any hiking experience?" Nikki managed to ask.

"I don't." Christina glared at Jake. "And I'm not interested."

"We're only looking for experienced people anyway," Nikki said. The conversation ended when Christina's mother blew her car horn.

Christina wasn't completely surprised to see Jake sitting on her couch.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Well, you took off yesterday before we could give you details. Here's the plan."

"Whoa!" Christina said, holding up a hand. "Before you say another word, let me describe my lack of abilities, and more importantly, my lack of interest in hiking. I've never hiked on anything but grass or the beach. I hate wearing shorts or anything that looks like athletic gear. I don't own a pair of sneakers, I hate bugs, and I've never broken a sweat doing anything except maybe ballet. Does that give you an idea what I think of this expedition? Besides, Nikki gives me the creeps. She seems more like a robot than a person."

"Aw, come on, Chris. Nikki's great once you get to know her."

"And don't call me Chris. My name is Christina." She moved toward the door.

"Got it. I won't. Ever again." Jake reached for her arm. "Wait one tiny minute—I want to tell you about the crystals."

"Crystals?" she said, brushing his hand away. "What about them?"

"Christina. Sit down. Hear me out. This won't take long."

"Okay, one tiny minute." And she sat, but on the edge of the couch.

Jake spoke fast, describing Nikki's mom and the other parents who worked for NASA, and their research on the unique qualities of certain rare crystals, and how they had learned that a nearby mine had veins. He also told her that Nikki had volunteered to search for the crystals during her summer vacation.

"NASA has money," Christina broke in. "Why don't they send trained explorers to look for these unique crystals?"

"That's a good question. All I know is Nikki and the other two are kind of like summer interns. To, you know, see if there's even a reason to get the NASA team out here."

Jake knew he was making stuff up, but couldn't stop himself.

"I'm listening," she said. "But I'm not saying I'll do any hiking." She said the word hiking as she would something like throw up.

"I'll tell you more." Jake leaned forward and lowered his voice. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone." He glanced around to see if Christina's mother was still out of earshot. "These stones are valuable and we don't want anyone else going after them. If we do find them and NASA steps in, the whole thing will be top secret."

Jake's exaggerations grew by the minute. It was true that the search for the crystals was a secret, but the story about NASA wanting them was way off. He knew it, but he had to have Christina on the team.

"Promise not to say anything about the crystals, even to your mom." Jake sat back.

Christina fingered the tourmaline hanging around her neck. She took her promises seriously, and couldn't think of any reason why she'd have to tell her mom, especially if she wasn't going to hike with Jake and Nikki.

"Okay, I promise," she said. "And I'll think of someone for the expedition."

"No, Christina, it's you. You like crystals." He watched her hold the tourmaline. "And you have emergency medical skills, your mom being a nurse and all. It doesn't matter that you've never hiked before. I'll coach you; it's not hard to learn. And besides, you have an intuitive sense of things." He stared at the necklace. "I think that would be great for the team."

Christina blushed and tucked her necklace inside her rose-pink blouse. The blouse flowed elegantly over a burgundy skirt with a wide ruffle on the bottom. Her long black hair was pulled back by a sparkling barrette, allowing the dark, shiny tresses to hang loosely over her shoulders. To Jake she looked more like a Spanish princess than a twenty-first-century teenager.

Like an impatient princess, she raised her chin and said, "Go on, I'm waiting."

Jake leaned in, and his pupils narrowed like a camera lens. He told her all he knew, and some he didn't know, and then described where they'd hike and how long it would take.

"It may be a few days, or even a couple weeks of day hikes," Jake explained. "And trust me, it won't be a challenge for you," he said, glancing down at her strong calf muscles.

She blushed and pulled her legs under her. "I've taken dance—ballet and jazz—since I was three."

"Perfect. I thought you were an athlete. You're a natural."

"I haven't agreed yet, Jake. Don't be so sure of yourself."

Jake stood. "From what I understand, these crystals are unlike any others. Who knows? You could be part of discovering the most unique crystals in the world." He headed to the door and Christina followed, not wanting to miss a word.

"Oh, and I forgot to mention," Jake said, "that there are other searches going on right now in France and New Zealand." There, he thought, the final hook.

"Really?" Her eyes widened as the breadth of the project started to sink in.

"I'll call later for your answer, Christina." Jake opened the front door. "If you don't join us, we'll do the trek without you." Before she could answer, he turned and jogged down the walkway toward his bike.

"Wait!" she said as he slid on his Ray-Bans. "What would I even wear?"

Jake smiled. "No worries there," he said, taking a thorough up-and-down look. "My sister Lizzi is about your size. She has all the gear you'd ever need." Then he lifted a muscled leg over the bar of his bike and peddled away. "Later," he yelled.

Christina stared at Jake's disappearing shape. How could he leave her hanging? All she'd needed was a few more minutes. She felt an irresistible urge to stomp her foot.

"Hmph," she grumbled and shut the door. Then she raced up the stairs to her room and stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror. Her brain practically sizzled as she pictured herself wearing cargo shorts, a T-shirt, and sneakers—or even worse, those horrible hulking boots. She prided herself on wearing feminine clothing—flowing skirts and ballet slippers, or at least pretty flats.

Christina's thoughts were interrupted by knocking. "Hola," her mother said in her soft Spanish accent. "Can I come in?"

Christina sighed. "Yes, Mother," she said, wishing she didn't have to talk right now.

Christina's mother, Laurita, had been born in Mexico City and had come to the United States as a child. Her parents had worked at two jobs each so she, their only child, could go to nursing school. Now she was head nurse in the emergency room at the local hospital.

Laurita sat down next to her daughter. "Who was that, Christina?"

"Jake, from school." Christina wondered how much to tell. "He wants me to go hiking with him and some friends." Laurita raised an eyebrow.

"I know them from school—Jake, Nikki, and Devin—and there may be others too. I don't know for sure. But they're all good kids," Christina added quickly, looking her mom in the eye. "Jake's dad is a trail guide."

"What did you tell him?" Laurita asked. "If my opinion makes a difference, I think you should go. After I talk to Jake's father, that is."

"I'm thinking about it, but I don't know how to hike. I don't even wear sneakers. And the thought of wearing shorts and a T-shirt is...gross."

Her mother smiled. It would be nice to see her daughter enjoying some different activities with friends. Christina was a loner and obsessed with dance.

Christina didn't utter a word about the crystals. Jake had used the phrase "top secret," so she decided to keep quiet for now.

"When do you have to let him know?"

"He's calling later." Christina tapped her phone, wishing he had already called. "I think they want to go soon. He said his sister Lizzi has clothes and gear I can use."

"I think that's wonderful," Laurita said, feeling happy for her daughter. "I heard the views are amazing from those mountains, and who knows, you might even find a crystal or two in your travels. I heard there was an old crystal mine on Scouter Mountain. Maybe some were dislodged when it was active."

At the word "crystal," Christina blinked. Uncanny, she thought. She had always thought her mother was psychic. Maybe that was where she got it.