"So they escaped?" Reiss said, and edge entering his voice. Even through the visor link, the terrified manager was able to imagine the anger in the over-stuffed face.

"Yes."

"Did you track them?"

"They threw away the trackers."

"All five?"

"Every one of them."

"Did you lock the building down?"

"They broke the top floor lock."

"And?"

"They took a window clean checker unit down." Levi's obsolete knowledge on that timely tub was partially inaccurate: the tub was to check and, rarely, maintain the automatic window cleaners on the side of the building.

"Where are they?"

"They took off with a trucker, last I checked."

"Did you contact said trucker?"

"I tried."

"Tried?"

"The troublesome twosome had called the police."

"Why?"

"I may have killed Reebs in front of them."

"That would've been fine, had they not used his visor – I presume that that's what they did."

"Yes."

"So?"

"I had to fake the CCTV and I pinned the murder on them."

"Fair enough."

"So now?" The manager feared for his life.

"Find the trucker."

"Alright. I'm sorry."

"Save it, we're probably better off replacing them. Orphans are more replaceable than daughters."

"If you want, I can still use Petra as leverage against Peter."

"And vice versa."

"I'll have their corpses as soon as I can."

"Exactly why I hired you, Zackly." Reiss hung up, knowing that he was immoral. He did just treat orphans as lab rats. It was however, as step up from kidnapping children to do so.

"So you two ran away?" Grisha said in a hover truck as he began to speed off.

"It's a long story." Petra tried.

"It always is, but it is also always much simpler than it seems."

The ride was smooth – smoother than that of a boat on a still lake. It was also fast. The truck picked up 200 miles per hour with ease, despite the weight of the deliveries. From inside the aerodynamic curves of the sports car-like body of the truck, the view improved as passengers could peer over the hedges and see the patchwork of various fields opening up in all deserted directions.

"He's your boyfriend and one pair of parents disapproves, right?" Grisha asked, a few minutes in.

Everybody was in the front row, which seated three very comfortably. Petra was sandwiched by the two men, in a state she could not object to. She leaned onto Levi for effect, saying: "I don't understand why, though."

"One day you'll be a parent – and maybe they don't want that day to be soon – but on whatever day that is, you'll come to understand."

"I want to understand now, not just take somebody's word for it." Petra petulantly grieved.

"You'll understand, or you'll wait it out."

"The latter, I love him."

"Then maybe they'll understand."

"I'd hope."

"Well, whatever will be." Grisha sighed.

"You know, maybe we should try living on our own." Levi said. "If we like it, we could stick together, if we don't we'll go home and break up."

"That sounds nice." Petra said.

"Don't be stupid, though." Grisha chimed in.

After a few more minutes of silent driving, they reached a town. "New Borehamwood." Grisha declared with familiarity. "Home's just about here, near the vacuum transit." A brief, slower, drive through the town centre revealed some activity as the town bustled in trade and daily lives. "Here, let me present you to Carla, my wife, and she'll sort out a room for you."

After a terse introduction, Carla presented them the basement of the house. There, they laid out the last mattress the house had – a single. "One of you will have to take the floor, to be civil." Carla said, with an annoyed edge.

The couple quickly took their leave to explore the town. The exploration revealed that the world day not changed too dramatically over the past 40 years. The universal currencies, politics and economics did not change. All that did happen was a massive advancement in technology, leading to minor fundamental changes in the way people lived.

They also learned that one of the changes was an increase in personal documentation. Though every document was now digital, there were more of them and they were more frequently necessary for purchases or other simple things.

"Everything should be in my identity, since I know that I have parents, and therefore am more likely to have documents." Petra said, outside a bank, or what seemed to be its 2051 counterpart.

Inside, they found a vastly different atmosphere. For one, there were only two people. Everything else had been automated. They found cubicles that took the place of tellers – who were not quite tellers in their time either – and people entered and exited the cubicles to carry out the few transactions or actions that required banks.

Petra stepped into a cubicle. "Hello. We see you are a new customer." A lady appeared.

"Hi." Petra awkwardly stammered.

"Would you like to open an account here?"

"Yes please."

If the interface was a real AI, with feigned feelings, it would have smiled and been thankful for the rare politeness. "We recognize that you are Petra Ral." The agent said instead.

"With what documentation?" Petra asked.

A birth certificate popped up onto the screen. "With this, we surmise that you have not completed schooling. We recommend that you do so, but it is not our right to deny you service."

"Thank you." It was good counsel. Petra was also happy to find that she did have some documentation, enough to get her a card. The card seemed to be the only way to use any currency and thus, it was the most valuable asset.

"We will provide you with a card."

"Thank you."

"You also have a college fund in your name, but a legal guardian must be present for encashment."

"Thank you for that."

A slot opened in the wall of the cubicle. "Here is your card."

"Thanks."

"Have a nice day and thank you for joining with Sina Bank, the most trusted in the world." Petra exited with that, showing Levi her card.

"It'll probably need your face or something for it to work." Levi said.

"Very secure."

"Screws us over though – I can't get anything."

"Try stepping into a cubicle."

Similar to Petra, Levi learned that he was born Levi Ackermann but did not have a college fund in his name. He also garnered a card.

"Happy?" Petra asked.

"I was born!" Levi joked in mock amusement.

"Now to find a job."

"There was a small café that was hiring."

"Fine, let's head over."

It took surprisingly little to get a job at the café. They showed their cards, were told not to be rude – that was the only reason they were hired, machines seemed too rude – and they were told how to hold a dish and then they got their jobs.

It was easy and the minimum wage was high enough to give them 50 credits each for the five hour shifts they took up.

With that, they left. They dined at the Jeager household – with Carla, Grisha, Eren and Mikasa. Eren and Mikasa largely ignored the two new teens and the parents stayed quiet during the awkward meal that ensued. Levi and Petra were happy for the awkwardness and stayed out of sight as much as possible.

All they heard from Grisha was "Don't make regrettable choices" as they descended into the makeshift room.

Early next morning, they woke up before dawn to leave. Finding scrap paper in the back and a disused pen, Petra quickly left a note.

Thank you for having us, but we have really got to go. It feels like we have overstayed our welcome, and we are not surprised. In either case, I hope we did not bother your lovely family and we are indebted to you deeply. Also, thank you for the advice. We will follow Levi's idea of trying to live together, thank you for simplifying our situation.

Petra and Levi.

With that, they exited, ensuring that the door had locked behind them.

They got to the café as it opened and quickly began working. They would need every hundredth of a credit they could get. "Diligent. I like it." Their boss – a middle aged blonde with nothing to lose or gain – complimented them.

The day then began slowly. After half an hour of cleaning and minor food preparation, the two new waiters opened the café.

Quickly, morning orders made the place busy. People did notice the two new workers, but could not object as their service improved.

By nine, after two gruelling hours of work, the flow of customers reduced. It was then that four teenagers entered the café. Since it was relaxed, they took up conversation with the waiters – one motivated also by a certain other arousal.

"Hey, hottie." This attracted customer called. Noting a male voice, Petra whirled to find one of the teenagers – the garishly dressed, old-looking one with almost grey hair and a mysteriously wrinkled face. Petra pointed at herself, not used to being address as such. "Yes, you." The customer said.

Petra strolled over, not particularly rushing and not deliberately slowly. "How may I help you?"

"In many, many ways."

"Would you like another Latte?" Petra said, glancing at his cup to discern his order.

"I would like you."

"That, unfortunately, is not on our menu."

"For no menu would be worthy."

"Or, more accurately, no men like you." The others at the table laughed. "Don't take it personally, I'm already taken." Petra quietly added.

"So, what's your name, since calling you hottie would be calling for trouble?" A blonde across the small, round table asked.

"Petra."

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Erd, he's Gunther," an adjacent brunette was indicated, "she's Hange," the only female at the table was pointed out, "and the weirdo there is Auro."

"Nice to meet you all. If you don't mind my asking, did you all take a gap year?"

"We dropped out after we made some cash as a band."

"A band?"

"We have the drummer," Auro, "guitarists," Erd and Gunther, "and the singer – most of the time." Erd said, finishing on Hange.

"Who manages gigs, tickets and all that stuff?"

"Currently all of us, but it's going to shit because of that."

"I see." Petra glanced over her shoulder. "Do you travel a lot?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I dropped out as well, just to see the world."

"You and your boyfriend?"

"Yeah."

"Interesting." Erd looked about, noting minute nods. "You want to join us – manage gigs and all that stuff?"

"I'll ask Levi – my boyfriend."

"Sure."

Petra entered the back room. "Levi?" She found his gaze fixed on a projection of the news. It was a communal news projector installed at the back to entertain workers. It could also be moved forward, into the dining area to air a football or rugby game that everybody cared about. On the projection of the news, Petra found her face next to Levi's. "… we do not know the cause of this murder but the police are out to find them. Please help as much as you can."

"We need to leave." Levi said.

"I found a way."

"What?"

"There's a band there. We can leave with them."

"Let us get our pay." Petra nodded and they walked to the small pay-station at the back, near the room. Levi had swiped his card and taken his pay. Petra followed suit.

"We'll take you up, if the offer still stands." Petra told the band.

"Alright." Erd smiled.

"I'll tell the boss." Levi said, turning back to the kitchen.

The boss was not too busy, merely cleaning the surfaces to maintain hygiene. "You alright?"

"We were planning to leave…" Levi nervously began.

"Forever?" Levi nodded. "It's fine. I won't pretend to understand, but enjoy yourselves."

"Thank you very much."

Levi entered the main dining area and found the group ready to leave.

"Shall we?" Gunther murmured.

"Let's go!" Hange said.

"Shit, she now has coffee in her." Auro groaned.

With that, the group crammed into the cosy hover-van that the band owed. They began to drive, Erd revealing that the destination was the city, for a small gig. He also revealed that they slept in the van most of the time, and everybody found that despite the increased number of people, that arrangement would be quite comfortable.

Back at the café, the boss sauntered into the back room, wondering what to do with the empty café. He saw the news and found the faces on it. "So that's the little secret." He sneered, using the visor to notify the police.

(And so part 3 begins...)