According to the Cardinal, there used to be several manned checkpoints along the patrol routes; often, the patrols were generally just a delivery service for supplies to those checkpoints.  In recent days however, many of the people stationed at those checkpoints have either gone missing, been drafted into new patrols that went missing, or simply deserted... and went missing.<br/><br/>There were only two manned checkpoints left on this route when the patrol went missing.  Both of them were further along the route, and apparently the now-missing patrol was never seen at either of them.