Past Shadows

Looks like a tracer.

- Looks like a little eye flicker over there.

I think he might be coming to.

- You can see the fire in his eyes again.

- It's about time your sorry butt woke up.

Hey Tyler.

- I'm glad you're okay, man.

You gave us all a really big scare there.

Anyway, get well soon, okay?

We got some gigs lined up.

- Not to mention homework assignments.

Monty, how are you feeling?

Hey professor.

I've felt better.

Can somebody to tell me why I'm here?

And why I have such a massive headache?

Let's just say

that you gave Humpty Dumpty a run for his money.

You had a great fall.

- So then when are all the king's horses

and all the king's men showing up?

- I'm afraid you're looking at 'em.

Monty, you may be wondering who this gentleman is.

It's Detective Shek.

he would like to ask you some questions,

but only if you feel up to it.

Hi Monty.

If this gets to be too much for you,

we can do it another day.

- Got nothing else better to do so hit me.

- Apparently you were walking down the sidewalk

on Westover Avenue and you collapsed,

hit your head on the pavement.

You've been unconscious here for the last three days.

Three days?

Yeah.

The staff here has taken some blood tests

and they found traces of gamma hydroxybutyrate,

GHB in your system.

You ever heard of that?

No, are you kidding me?

I wish I was.

You don't seem like the kind of guy

that would do that consciously.

It's the kind of drug that's usually given to somebody

without their consent or knowledge.

It's kind of like a date rape drug.

That's awful.

It was probably given to you

about a half hour before you collapsed.

Do you remember coming in contact with anyone

prior to that?

Off the top of my head.

- Well, what's left of it anyway.

Lame.

- I'm drawing a blank, detective.

- Can we just let this young man get some rest?

They'll be plenty of time for questions later.

Sure.

Wait, I do remember now.

Professor Derring.

He stopped by the apartment while I was there.

What on Earth for?

That's what I thought.

He dropped off this book.

Kind of weird, you know,

he just popped up unannounced.

Yeah, it sure is.

Where you one of his students?

- No, but I stopped by his office one time

to ask him a physics question.

- We can pick this up another time.

Monty, we've got to go

but you take care of yourself

and you get plenty of rest, okay?

Thank you.

- Yeah, rest up champ, okay?

Hey Tyler?

Yeah, what's up?

Thanks for being there, buddy.

Daisy.

Hey professor.

It's sad this happened to Monty.

I know

but you know he was actually pretty lucky.

It could've been worse.

But hey, thanks for stopping by.

Luck?

What was that?

- You said Monty was lucky that it wasn't worse.

Did you say that for me

because you know I'm a non-believer?

Deep down did you really want to say

that maybe his guardian angel stepped up?

It's okay, it'll be our secret.

I'll say a prayer for him just in case.

You know I,

I've never had a good feeling about that guy.

Who?

- My colleague, Professor Derring.

Charles.

Yeah?

- We still haven't given up on your grandson.

I know, thank you.

Shay, where are you?

- Three years sober, not too shabby.

- But every day is like day one.

And the flashbacks?

- I thought you therapists had this magic wand

that you could just sort of erase them.

- Yeah well I had to send mine out to be recalibrated.

Touche.

- Okay, so tell me about your new job situation.

- Well, you know, out of the blue,

I got this offer to teach.

Well folks, once again,

we're having a banner year,

which means we're gonna be adding an elective.

Crip course.

Sorry, crip course?

Useless and meaningless,

fluff, for lack of a better word.

However, whatever we call it,

let's give 'em their money's worth.

Charles, even though you're a full professor

from a much larger university,

we've always had the policy of the last man or woman in

gets to teach the crip course.

I accept my medicine.

- Thank you for being such a team player.

I think you're gonna enjoy it.

I'm sure.

What's it gonna be?

- We're calling it "Why Religion?".

There's no textbook

so you'll be free to take it where you want.

Professor, I,

I don't think I'm the one you want to teach this course.

I mean well I'm not really into the Bible

or theology or anything like that.

Come on old, man.

You can handle it.

- But then there was this colleague of mine,

he's just, I don't know.

Just what?

- Well I guess there's always one, you know?

One what?

I can't put my finger on it,

but something's just not right.

- So Monty, I know you've been through a lot,

but I want to try to piece together all the details.

So why don't we reconstruct everything

starting with when you first started school here?

- Well Tyler and I were roommates and best of buds.

We formed this musical duo.

Man, I thought we'd have a recording contract by now.

- Well all is not lost, my friend.

At least we'll have some sort of degree this year.

Yeah, I'm thinking bigger.

Well, if we work hard

and with the big guy's approval,

it could happen.

Better pray harder then.

- I don't think that's how it works, bro.

- Hey, you owe me one, Tyler.

If you would've signed up on time,

we wouldn't have been stuck in this crazy class.

Listen dude,

I thought I would be working this semester,

but my uncle threw me a few bucks.

Lucky you.

Anyway, I'm psyched about tonight.

First day of classes always brings a packed house.

- Man, I'm excited for that overflowing tip jar.

- Dude, what are you doing picking up trash?

You turning into some granola eating hippie freak?

No man, it's glass.

I collect it everywhere I go.

I've been doing that for awhile.

Dude, that's weird.

I guess the apple doesn't fall too far off the tree.

His Uncle Lewis is an archeologist,

sends him bits of glass from everywhere.

Like his last dig, he was in the Middle East.

All right, all right, look,

let's see what we have.

Now that's it.

Let's call it a day, huh?

Wait, over here!

Ah let's see.

Ah look at that.

What is it?

Most likely first century,

probably Roman glass.

Then again, it could just be a broken beer bottle

left behind by some drunken Turks.

Strange how it's glowing though.

I know just who to send this to.

- Someone who likes rare antiquities?

You could say that.