With Burke in Urko’s paws (or, more accurately, those of the female Chimpanzee scientist, Wanda), Virdon and Galen throw caution to the winds and race across country in broad daylight to reach Central City via “the shortest, fastest route.” Conspicuously, they are without backpacks. The absence of their bags and baggage could, of course, be attributed to their need to travel light. While it makes sense, however, that they may have abandoned their possessions in order to improve their travelling time, it could also be arugued that, with an unknown situation ahead of them, and with the success of their mission of critical importance, they should really have access to whatever meagre resources they possess. Logically, they should therefore have their possessions with them, regardless of Virdon’s desire to travel swiftly and without rest. We can only conclude that they aren’t carrying anything with them at this moment because, by this stage, our heroes no longer have anything to carry.