// SAREN

“I can explain,” Alex pleaded.

Saren was still a little confused. He assumed this was Sami, but beyond that, he could only watch the encounter unfold and hope to not get murdered.

“Like hell you can.” Sami turned to Saren. “Who are you?”

“Sami, I’m sorry--”

“Shut up Alexander, before I make you,” Sami snapped.

Sare felt a chill down his spine. This man was scary.

“My name is Saren,” he said softly. “Where am I?”

“Saren? Just Saren? What’s your full name?”

“I don’t know.”

“Uh huh. Sure. Totally believable. Now, pray tell, why did Alex bring you here?”

Alex seemed to want to speak, but one glare from Sami stopped him in his tracks.

“I’m… not entirely sure,” Saren admitted. “I think it’s because I told him I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

Sami’s eyes softened a fraction. “That’s our Alex,” he conceded. “Picking up strays on the street.”

Saren tried not to feel offended.

Sami rubbed his face. “Okay. Come with me, you two.”

Sami led them down the hallway and around a corner, leading them into a living room type area. Couches and chairs were scattered around a coffee table. A bookshelf leaned against one wall, and a desk was up against another. A doorway across the room shone light onto the surroundings.

“Was that Alex I heard? I thought--” A woman, tall and lean, stepped through the aforementioned doorway, holding what seemed to be a cup of tea. Her eyes scanned the room, before landing on Saren. “Oh. I wasn’t aware we had visitors.”

“Neither was I,” Sami said, glaring at Alex. “Louise. Do me a favor, entertain our guest while I talk to Alex for a moment.”

“Yes, sir.”

Sami gripped Alex’s shoulder and steered him out a door Saren hadn’t noticed until now.

The woman, Louise, set her cup gently onto the coffee table. She gestured for Saren to take a seat. He hesitantly did so, and Louise did as well, her pale yellow sweater rustling against the blanket thrown over the couch’s arm.

“So. I figure you’re here for a reason? Something to do with Alex?”

“Uh… yeah. Alex led me here.”

“Interesting,” she mused. Her eyes ran over Saren’s outfit, then glanced back at his face. “You didn’t grow up around here, did you?”

“I grew up in Abson.”

“Figures. Your accent gave it away.”

“Where am I?”

“Can’t tell you that.”

“Of course not,” Saren said, groaning. He was never going to get any answers at this rate.

“Apologies, how rude of me? I haven’t even introduced myself. Louise Sodder, at your service.”

“Saren. Don’t know my last name, but the guy that watched over me was named Forrester.”

Louise did a double-take. “Wait, what?”

Saren frowned. “I’ve never been told my last name, is that weird?”

“No, no… you lived with Forrester? John Forrester?”

“...Yeah?”

Louise seemed to look at him in a new light.

Defensively, Saren crossed his arms. “Hey, I ran away from that guy for a reason. He’s a piece of shit.”

Before Louise was able to question him further, Sami and Alex re-entered the room. Alex looked relieved, but Sami was as stoic as ever.

“What’s the verdict, Judge Sami?” Louise asked innocently.

He rolled his eyes. “What’d you learn from him?”

“New in town. Grew up in Abson, with John Forrester. Not a fan of his, though.”

Alex seemed to balk at the name.

Sami paused. Turning to Saren, he asked, “So. Who else knows you in town?”

“No one, I haven’t actually left the house until today.”

“Ever been part of a gang?”

“No?”

“Does Forrester know where you are right now?”

“No.”

“Where are you planning on going now?”

“I’m not… I don’t know, I can’t go back to him. It was awful; literally anywhere but with him.”

Alex sat down gently next to Saren and nudged his shoulder. “Hey, it’s alright. We get it.”

In the background, Saren heard the front door open and close.

Saren sat down next to Louise. “Alright. He can stay.”

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?!” A large man had just rounded the corner, carrying a couple bags in each hand. He set them down on the floor and crossed his arms. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Got a problem?” Sami said coolly.

The man seemed to realize he was in over his head. “It’s just that… um… never mind. Sorry, Sami.”

Sami nodded once in acknowledgement. “That’s what I thought. Theo, this is Saren. He’ll be staying with us for now.”

“Hey wait a minute, I never agreed to this!” Saren protested.

“And where else would you go?” Sami challenged.

Saren hesitated a bit. Alex poked his cheek. “Hey, at least you don’t have to go back to that asshole. We don’t bite… usually.”

“...Fine. I’ll stay.”

“Alrighty then!” Sami’s personality did a 180 as he stood up and grinned cheerfully. “Let me formally introduce myself. My name is Samuel Cooper, leader of the Cooper gang. Nice to meet you.”