“Are you sure?!” asks Steve. “You said your mother was quite ill?” he adds.

“Yes! She is very ill, and I’m with her right now. We’ve just finished an honest conversation. The kind of mother and daughter conversation that occurs at a particular stage of their adult lives!” replies Joan.

“My wonderful mother insists that I don’t fuss around her because she wants me to continue with my life and my journey with you and our team, and you should see the look she’s giving me right now!” adds Joan with a half smile.

“Well, you know we need you, Joan, but so does your mother at a time like this?” continues the compassionate CEO.

 “Steve! My mother knows there’s nothing I can do for her here, and she’d prefer me to continue my work with you and the team!”

“My mum wants me to live my life, and she can’t wait for my return from the island so I can tell her about our adventures!” continues Joan, with tears welling up in her eyes as she gently holds her mother’s hand.

“Okay!” says Steve a little reluctantly. “We’ll be leaving our normal London hotel for the Isle of Colossus a week from today,” he adds.

“I’ll meet you at the hotel the day before we leave!” replies Joan.

“I look forward to it!” says Steve. “Say hello to your mother from me, Zig and our whole team, and I’ll see you at the hotel, bye for now!” he adds before hanging up.

“Is Joan coming with us on this trip?” asks Zig, walking in the local park with Steve, Ray, Judy, Max and her friends.

“Yes!” replies Steve, thinking about his own mother.

“I thought Joan’s mother was gravely ill!” asks Max, looking at Judy.

“She is!” replies Steve. “But Joan’s mum wants her to continue with her life and work with us. Joan will probably tell us how ill her mother is when we meet!” she continues.

“So, when we all see Joan in a few days, please keep in mind that her mother is very poorly, and Joan might get upset easily, okay!” adds Judy.

All the guys mutter their agreement or nod their heads slightly while in thought for Joan and her mother as they continue to walk in the sunshine.

“Tony and his team will be arriving on the island tomorrow!” says Steve, now back in his office with Zig, her friends and the four ZandaBots.

“Yes! And we now know it’s likely several other rivers flow into what Tony Gibson and the search team refer to as the underground Junction?” adds Judy.

“Underground Junction?” mutters Nari, looking at Judy.

“Yes! The underground river, the Seven Sisters, which flows from the Dead Man’s Shrine Cave to the spot where we left our boats when we first searched for the Church of Stars Palace, is thought to be one of several underground rivers which meet the sea via the Dead Man’s Shrine Cave,” adds Steve.

“Tony and his team think six additional underground rivers flow into that underground junction area from the six above-ground waterfalls on the island. Tony believes these waterfalls and their rivers run into that underground junction at various points,” he continues.

“The HST guys now have drone footage of all seven waterfalls on the island!” adds Ray.

“And we all know the waterfall which cascades over the edge of the island is named the Dead Man’s Jump, and we’re aware it almost hides the entrance to the Dead Man’s Shrine Cave!” he continues.

“The Dead Man’s Jump waterfall is the only one of the seven to flow off the island. The other six waterfalls all fall inland, either above or below ground level, and Tony and his team believe those other six waterfalls lead into his newly named Junction,” adds Judy.