Grover nodded. "Since Pan's death, I can feel when something is wrong in nature.

It's like my ears and eyes are sharper when I'm in the Wild. Anyway, I started

following the scent. This man in a long black coat was walking through the park,

and I noticed he didn't cast a shadow. Middle of a sunny day, and he cast no

shadow. He kind of shimmered as he moved."

 

"Like a mirage?" Nico asked.

 

"Yes," Grover said. "And whenever he passed humans — "

 

"The humans would pass out," Nico said. "Curl up and go to sleep."

 

"That's right! Then after he was gone, they'd get up and go about their business

like nothing happened."

 

I stared at Nico. "You know this guy in black?"

 

"Afraid so," Nico said. "Grover, what happened?"

 

"I followed the guy. He kept looking up at the buildings around the park like he

was making estimates or something. This lady jogger ran by, and she curled up on

the sidewalk and started snoring.

 

The guy in black put his hand on her forehead like he was checking her

temperature. Then he kept walking. By this time, I knew he was a monster or