After more than five hours, the two backpackers—Owen and Monica—finally arrived in Berlin.
As Germany's economic, cultural, and political center, Berlin had no shortage of places to explore.
They started with the Reichstag building, then visited the Brandenburg Gate, Pariser Platz, Unter den Linden, and Museum Island.
They rented a BMW through AVIS, the price fairly reasonable, and spent three days cruising around Berlin.
If there was one thing that stood out to Owen during those three days, it was the strict orderliness of the German people.
Everywhere they went, they saw signs and regulations aimed at maintaining public order—everything was spelled out clearly, and people actually followed the rules.
Even store operating hours were strictly regulated.
Monica was particularly fascinated by German architecture—Gothic, Baroque—she was utterly captivated.
Owen, on the other hand, didn't care much for buildings.
Like most men, the first thing he noticed in a foreign city wasn't the architecture—it was the local women.
To be honest, German women weren't particularly stunning, but they generally had great physiques.
Fitness was clearly a priority here.
The only reason Owen wasn't completely smitten was that many German women's features felt a bit harsh and angular—less soft and delicate than what he preferred.
Monica, however, was an exception.
Her figure and facial features easily outshined most German women—her beauty was top-tier even by European standards.
But if you were really talking European beauty, you had to go East: Ukraine, Russia, Romania—the farther east you went, the fairer and smoother the skin.
Unlike many American women, who looked great from a distance but had rough skin up close.
After dinner, they visited the flea market at the Berlin Wall Park.
These kinds of places were fun—filled with quirky trinkets, mostly handmade, reasonably priced, and rich in character.
Monica picked out a pair of cornflower-shaped pendants, designed for couples.
Made of metal and crystal, they were beautiful—like wedding rings for couples in love.
Owen paid without hesitation.
They each wore one around their necks.
The cornflower was Germany's national flower, and while Owen didn't care much about accessories, the pendant made Monica look even more stunning.
After a few days in Berlin, they decided to head east.
Monica wanted to visit some places in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.
This time, they debated for a while and again chose the train.
Driving and flying were convenient, yes—but nothing compared to the scenery from a train window.
Even though their last train experience was frustrating due to delays, the view had been breathtaking—they had used up quite a bit of film on the way.
So they decided to give Deutsche Bahn one more chance.
Their next journey: from Berlin to Hungary, passing through Czechia and Slovakia along the way.
Luckily, since Berlin was a departure station, the train actually left on time.
European trains weren't particularly fast, and the trip to Hungary would take a long while.
To rest more comfortably, they booked sleeper cabin tickets.
The cabin was similar to a soft sleeper in China—a private space with four bunks.
But it wasn't crowded. In fact, Owen and Monica had the whole cabin to themselves—the other two beds were empty.
After stowing their luggage, they headed to the dining car—the train had departed right around noon, and they hadn't had lunch yet.
Just when they thought this would be a relaxing ride...
Reality slapped them in the face.
As soon as the train started moving, their backpacks were stolen.
Through the window, Owen caught sight of a young man waving at them.
He was holding two bags that looked very familiar.
Owen immediately sprinted back to the sleeper cabin—the backpacks were gone.
Unbelievable.
Bold enough to steal and wave goodbye?!
They pressed against the train window, shouting angrily—but it was too late. The train had already left the platform.
Their mood soured instantly.
They had no appetite for lunch anymore.
Back in the States, they'd heard stories about how chaotic Europe could be.
Owen had witnessed it firsthand during Amanda's kidnapping—he had always kept his guard up.
But after spending several calm days in Germany, his vigilance had waned—
and now, they'd been taught a harsh lesson.
———
Monica was fuming, angrily cursing the thief.
It took a lot for Monica to curse out loud—that's how upset she was.
"You guys are American?"
A girl sitting across from them asked in English.
English was somewhat common across Europe, but not widely spoken. In Germany, people still preferred German.
So when Owen and Monica had been yelling in English, everyone around them instantly knew:
Tourists. Foreigners. Victims.
"Yeah," Owen replied, his face full of frustration.
The train had already pulled away from the station.
Their bags were gone for good.
Thankfully, all that had been in them were some clothes and souvenirs—nothing vital.
The biggest loss was probably Owen's camera.
All the important items like passports and wallets were on them.
"Don't feel too bad," the girl said. "Stuff like this happens a lot in Europe. You just have to stay alert. I'm American too. Got robbed a couple days ago."
She shrugged casually.
Beside her were two other girls, who chimed in with sympathetic remarks.
Hearing that they'd had similar experiences, and were also American tourists, immediately created a bond.
"I'm Monica. I'm from California."
"Oh wow, me too. I'm Beth—I'm from L.A.! These are my friends Lorna and Whitney. We all go to school on the East Coast."
"No way! I'm from L.A. too!"
Suddenly, fellow Angelenos had found each other.
They quickly warmed up to one another.
Turns out, the three girls were students at an American art university, spending their vacation traveling through Europe.
For some reason, Owen suddenly thought of Amanda and her friends.
They'd also come to Europe on vacation... and had gotten kidnapped by Albanians.
Same setup.
Only difference was that these three girls were a bit older, college-aged, and more mature.
Maybe the safety situation in Germany was a bit better than in France.
Owen chuckled wryly to himself—but even he didn't quite believe that.
Bryan had always said:
Europe is messy.
Very, very messy.
As the women chatted, their conversation drifted from travel stories to fashion and makeup.
Owen had no interest in any of that.
"Excuse me, I'm gonna step out for a bit."
Owen politely excused himself.
After using the restroom, he wandered the train.
They'd been traveling for a few hours now.
Aside from the initial drama of getting their backpacks stolen, things had been relatively calm since.
Owen stopped by the bar and ordered a drink, sipping it slowly as the train rolled on.
Outside the window, the lighting began to shift—bright, then dark.
The train had entered mountain territory, now weaving through tunnels.
Then—
From Monica's cabin came a sharp scream.
Owen recognized Beth's voice:
"Hey! Someone grabbed my bag!"
What?!
Owen jumped to his feet.
Another theft? On my watch?!
He scanned the area. The tunnel lighting flickered—brief moments of light, then darkness.
But it was enough.
He caught a glimpse of someone bolting toward the car's exit.
Owen took off after them.
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