They left at first light.
The house was locked. Notices for the clinic hung on the gate. The neighbor had been paid and given clear instructions. The four packs sat balanced and ready.
Eli took the heaviest without complaint. Clara carried the waterproof ledger case and the coin. Lara kept the medical kit close. Atlas walked point with the marked map and the contract sealed in an inner pocket.
The river path gave way to the broader eastern road by mid-morning. The surface was still firm from the recent dry spell. Traffic was light—occasional carts, a pair of messengers, a small group of pilgrims who nodded and kept moving. No one paid the four of them special attention. That was the point.
They made good time the first day. Eli set a steady pace that conserved energy without wasting daylight. When the sun stood high they stopped at a clear stream, refilled water, and ate bread and cheese in the shade of a broken milestone.
