Heya readers!

Sorry for the wait on this story, I was focusing on getting my other fics such as 'October Surprises' and 'Sharks and Ninjas' written and I did have some writers block here as well.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this long awaited chapter!

Chapter Five

An Old Friend

As night fell, Angela left Subway as it closed for the day.

She had decided to work double since someone had phoned in sick and she needed the extra cash.

Now it was closing time, she was feeling hungry and tired.

Normally she would have a sandwich in the deli but after working there for so long, one would start to get sick at the sight of all the fillings and bread.

"Have a good evening, Angie!" she heard her colleague shout behind her "See you in a couple of days!"

Angela turned around and saw Wilson was locking up.

"Sure thing Wilson!" she called then started to walk on towards her home.

She wrapped her coat tighter around her shoulders as the wind started to blow.

As Angela walked through the town she stared at her feet and hummed to herself, yet as she wasn't watching where she was going, she collided with someone, and she looked up.

"Oh god! Sorry!" she cried to the individual who had bent down to pick up his cell phone which he had dropped.

"No worries!" he replied as he looked up "I wasn't paying attention!"

No sooner did he look up than Angela gasped recognising the olive-skinned man with short slightly curly brown hair and a kippah on his head.

"Solomon?" she asked.

The man blinked and he too gasped.

"Angela?" he questioned "Wow! So nice to see you again!"

"Great to see you again too!" Angela smiled "Haven't seen you since you graduated from High School over a year ago!"

Angela really was amazed to see an old school friend, as Solomon had been in the year above her, but they were good friends and looked out for each other, especially since Solomon suffered a lot of bullying from his peers for being Jewish.

He had also supported Angela with her studying and Angela was always thankful to him for helping her get through High School especially after she lost Nigel.

"So where have you been since you graduated?" Angela asked.

"I moved to California." Solomon explained "I secured a place at University in San Francisco to do teacher training!"

"Wow! Nice!" Angela smiled.

Solomon nodded.

"I got some friends there who I'm living with."

"Good for you!" Angela grinned "But what are you doing back here?"

Solomon's face fell.

"Family funeral." He answered, "My grandfather on my mother's side passed away, so I've been here for three days so far."

"Aww, I'm sorry." Angela replied sympathetically.

"It's okay." Solomon said, "He was ninety-three, died in his sleep."

"Not a bad way to go." Angela sighed as she thought of her brother.

"Anyway," Solomon decided to change the subject "How about you? What have you been up to as late?"

Angela looked up.

"Oh, after I graduated, I got a job at Subway, been there for six weeks, I haven't decided whether I want to go to college really."

A breeze blew through their clothes, and they shivered.

"Brrr!" Solomon commented "Shall we go somewhere else? It's gotten chilly."

"Okay!" Angela said, "There's the diner not far from here, we could grab a coffee?"

"Sounds good to me!" Solomon said, "I'll just text mother." He took out his phone and Angela did the same letting their families know where they were then they started to walk off together.

Yet if they were to look behind them, they might have seen in the fading light Diablo hiding on a rooftop of a closed shop.

The Raven was scouting as well as looking for food to bring back to his Disciples.

After watching Solomon and Angela leave, he felt it was safe to leave the rooftop and continue his search so he spread his wings and flew into the night.

After ten minutes, Solomon and Angela arrived at the diner and ordered a hot drink each.

Solomon was sipping a coffee whilst Angela decided on a hot chocolate.

Solomon had also settled on some cheese on toast as he wasn't never sure if some of the dishes at the diner was Kosher, and Angela ordered a burger and fries.

"I'm sorry about your grandfather passing away." Angela said as she dipped one of her fries in some tomato ketchup.

"It's okay," Solomon replied "Well, it was his time, he was getting tired and rather forgetful, and he just passed away peacefully."

"Hopefully that'll be the same for us." Angela said then sighed "I still miss Nigel."

Solomon looked saddened.

"I remember the day you were told." He said, "It was awful."

Flashback

Angela and Solomon sat at a picnic table on the High School campus eating their lunch.

Solomon had just finished his Hebrew prayer before consuming his Kosher prepared lunch whilst Angela was drinking some soup from a flask.

Both were deep in conversation when suddenly a female teacher dressed in smart blue trousers and a white top with her black hair in a bun walked over to them and called to Angela.

Angela lowered her flask and looked up at the teacher.

"Miss Evans?" she asked curiously wondering what the issue was.

"Hi Angie, I'm sorry to disturb your lunch, but the principal wants to see you." Miss Evans informed.

Angela's eyes widened and she looked over to Solomon who looked bewildered, yet he offered to go with her.

Both picked up their belongings and followed Miss Evans to the Principal's office, Solomon stuck by Angela's side as he walked and behind the teacher's back, he saw some students making Nazi salutes at him or mouthing offensive slurs at him.

Solomon lowered his head and ignored them, but it cut deep.

He was often a target of bullies both in and out of school, all because he was a Jew, and it really upset him, but he tried not to rise to the bait, and be the better person.

They soon made it to the principal's office.

Miss Evans told Solomon to wait outside who did as he was told reluctantly but gave Angela a comforting pat on the back saying he would wait for her.

Angela smiled in thanks and walked inside.

As she did, she gasped seeing both her parents sitting in front of the desk with the principal, a red-haired woman in her fifties wearing a brown suit and spectacles.

"Mom? Dad? Why are you here?" she asked as they turned to look at her and saw they looked pale and sad.

"Hey sweetie." Her father said, yet her mother looked away as she began crying and the principal handed her a box of tissues.

"What's wrong?" Angela asked yet fear pooled in her stomach.

"Have a seat my dear." The principal said and Angela took a seat in-between her parents.

"I really don't know how to say this, Angela." The principal said removing her spectacles, "But I'm afraid your parents have some bad news."

Angela looked up.

"What is it?" she asked dreading the answer and she looked at her parents and her father took her hands as her mother was too upset to speak.

"Oh baby, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but it's Nigel." Her father said "We got news that Nigel has died…"

No sooner did those words leave her father's mouth than Angela went rigid, too shocked to cry or scream.

The principal bit her lip and Miss Evans looked at her feet both unsure of whether to say anything, but they made the right choice to stay quiet and let the news sink in.

"No…" Angela croaked.

Her father only nodded, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry kiddo." He said "We were informed that he was killed in action, his plane was shot down, his colleagues managed to get him out, but he was already dead before they could get to him…. he's being brought home for burial as we speak …"

Angela swallowed hard and she shook her head.

It was news she had prayed she would never hear, like every other military family, that they would never get that knock at the door, to say that their loved ones were killed or missing in action.

As the news sunk in, Angela lowered her head and the tears fell like rivers.

It couldn't be true, her big brother, her best friend, her role model was dead!

"Nigel…" she whispered "Oh no…Nigel …" her voice cracked and before long she buried her head in her knees and sobbed like there was no tomorrow.

She felt her father's hands on her shoulders in an act of comfort, she could hear her mother's sobs getting louder.

"He died a hero…" she heard her father say "He died for his country…"

Angela said nothing but just sobbed harder.

Miss Evans and the Principal watched, and they too began to shed a few tears at the heart-breaking sight.

Meanwhile Solomon outside, who had been listening in heard most of what was said, and he gasped in horror.

"Oh no…" he thought "Poor Angie…Nigel…" he sat back on his seat and lowered his head as he began to pray in Hebrew for his friend as well as to the loss of Nigel.

End Flashback

"Worst day of my life." Angela sighed.

Solomon nodded.

"So awful, your brother died a hero, and he was doing what he loved, flying, he knew the risks, but he was so brave."

Angela smiled softly.

"I was so proud of him, but I kept praying he would be safe, but in a way, I knew there was a high chance he wouldn't make it home, just like many others."

Solomon agreed as he sipped his drink then decided to change the subject.

"By the way Angie." He said, "You heard about that Neo Nazi family?"

Angela looked up at her friend and she remembered the Newspaper in Penny's office when she and her manager were comforting Tamsin.

"Oh yes!" she said, "Attacked in their own home by some costumed vigilantes."

Solomon nodded.

"I remember one of their sons had thrown rocks at my parents' house before." He said, "Until the police told them to stay away from us."

"You knew them?" Angela gasped.

"Uh huh!" Solomon replied, "And believe me when I say this, they had it comin'!" he growled "Served them right!"

Angela said nothing, but she understood why Solomon felt that way, since he and his family had suffered a lot of abuse for their religion.

At High School, bullies would make comments about him regarding the Death Camps, make Nazi salutes and even spray paint the Nazi Swastika sign on his locker or slip him notes with similar writing and symbols.

"I suppose so yes," Angela said, "Well after all the abuse they gave you and others, they did deserve it, you reap what you sow, or something like that."

"Karma that's what!" Solomon said then he looked at his watch.

"Oh gosh," he said, "I better get back, it's getting late."

Angela took the last bite of her burger.

"Good idea." She said, "Let's go."

After leaving some money for their food including a tip, the couple made their way out, yet as they did, Solomon noticed a group of men sitting at a table in the corner.

He hadn't noticed before, but they had been watching him and Angela for a long time, and now seeing them there, he felt nervous, so he felt it best to get away as soon as possible.

"You know, we had a racist in Subway today." Angela said as they left the diner.

"Tamsin got targeted because of her race, she's Puerto Rican."

Solomon shook his head.

"Will the hate ever end?" he asked.

"I guess not." Angela replied, "But after what we were told in the papers, if those vigilantes are in the area, anyone who's racist and the like, they should watch their backs."

"Like they'll do that." Solomon groaned "Most of these Bigots never shut up, they think they're invincible."

Angela nodded in agreement as they walked away from the diner and Solomon looked over his shoulder to see the dodgy looking men walking out.

"Let's go!" he said in a hurried voice as he led Angela away quickly and they made it to the street where other people were walking.

"What's wrong?" Angela asked confused.

"Just saw a group of men giving us dirty looks as we were leaving." Solomon explained "They just left the diner too, just keep walking and don't look back."

"Okay…" Angela said softly as she looked forward.

After five minutes, the twosome made their way into the main street and Solomon looked behind him and felt relieved when he saw the men had gone.

"Okay we're clear!" he said then looked towards his home.

"I'll text you later, maybe we can meet up again before I have to return to San Francisco?"

"I'd love that, thanks!" Angela replied as she shook Solomon's hand and headed towards her home.

Solomon watched her go, then went off on his way.

As that happened, Diablo had been flying over the buildings and he had seen the men leave the diner and start to follow Solomon and Angela.

Curious to why, the Raven had decided to follow them, and he soon saw the men hesitate as the twosome had walked into the busier streets.

Diablo cocked his head on one side as he watched the men start to talk then they began to head in another direction.

"Looks like those dudes are looking for trouble or wanting to cause some trouble." He mused "Looks like I'll be spying on them for a bit!"

Spreading his wings, Diablo started to follow the group of men hoping to find out more and report back to the Disciples.

So Angela has bumped into an old friend, and they've had a catch up and I think they just managed to escape some people who wanted to give them a hard time.

Yet Diablo's been watching! And he's on a spy mission now!

And what you ask, will be Solomon's role in the story? Well that's for me to know and you to find out!

Laters!