Spooky music plays Dum dum duuuuuum…who is that mysterious person in the shadows?
Audience leans forward in their seats and look at me expectantly Hey don't look at me! I'm not spoiling it for you! :P Read on a little bit and you'll find out!

Sorry it's taken ages to read about Mulch, but I had to clarify a few things before I got to him.
I still don't own Artemis Fowl. However, I am currently devising an evil plan that includes cucumbers, a television satellite dish, an Easter Bunny costume, three metres of masking tape, and a banana, that hopefully will enable me to take over the Fowl Empire!! Mwahahahaha! I'll keep y'all posted with that issue. Anyways, thanks for your comments! Keep reading & reviewing!

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Chapter 4: The Person Within the Shadows

Mulch struggled in his bonds. "Mphhmeeeumph" he yelled, but all speech was impossible. The gag drowned out all noises.

The voice in the darkness gave something resembling a giggle. Mulch's stomach lurched.

It was unmistakably female. That meant it couldn't be Artemis, and Mulch's situation had become alarmingly worse. If it had of been Artemis, Mulch might have been able to slip him the medallion and Artemis might have remembered who Mulch was. Now, Mulch was stuck with some female genius. And Mulch had no doubt whatsoever that she was dangerous.

"Fairy, you must tire of this secrecy. Let me give you my name. You may know me only as "The Dark Lady of the Forest', and I will be direct with you. I want your Book."

Mulch went cold from the tip of his head all the way to the hairs on his toes. He couldn't speak; he couldn't understand…

This person knows about the book… Haven was doomed…How much else did she know?

The female voice continued. "I have extensive reasons to believe in the People, and of your "haven" underground. As soon as my team of scientist completes the radar I will have visual proof that Haven exists. For now though, I want your book."

Mulch was dumbfounded. He heard the person step forwards closer to the circle of light. A pair of hands with manicured nails emerged from the shadows and removed the gag from his mouth.

"You may talk now if you wish." Said the girl, submerging herself again in darkness.

But for once in his life, Mulch had nothing to say.

The girl cleared her throat. "Now fairy, do not waste my time. I have brought you here for a reason. I need you to give me your Book."

Mulch swallowed. His throat felt incredibly dry.

"I'm sorry, but I can't give you my Book" Mulch spluttered, "I'm a fairy outlaw. I've been sent to live with the mu-humans. All my magic and magical items were taken from me. I no longer own my Book." Mulch sweated a little. He had almost said "mud-people". He was sure that wouldn't have amused his abductor.

The girl made impatient noises. "Very well. My comrades searched you while you were passed out. I already knew you carried no book, though I had to be sure. I've already captured an elf from Dublin. I destroyed her locator, so do not start getting hopeful that a Lower Elements Police Officer will come to your rescue."

Mulch was dumbfounded. The girl was interrupted by a knocking noise. A door somewhere behind Mulch opened and light streamed in. Though as the girl was standing behind Mulch, he still could not see her clearly.

Something was steered into the room. Mulch could hear the wheels squeaking.

Another voice began to speak, one older and male. "Boss?"

The girl sighed. "Of course, it's me. Obviously. Who else would it be?"

"Sorry, Boss. Just checking…"

"What do you want?" she snapped quickly, "And what are the packages you're wheeling around?"

Mulch heard a shuffling of feet. "It's just the stationery and mail cart. All outgoing messages are to go on here cause I'm going to post them in a minute."

The girl clicked her tongue impatiently. "Why does it concern me?"

"Actually I didn't come about the post. Jones told me to get you. He says the radar is finished. It's ready to scan for underground activity."

The girl gave a little gasp. "Why didn't you say so in the first place?" she growled. Mulch heard her rush towards the man and a little slap as she grabbed his arm. "Let's go."

Mulch heard her shutting the door.

The man struggled to get back into the room. "But, the mail!"

"You can post it afterwards." The girl said quickly, "Fairy, I'll be back. For now it's time for me to check on your little friends." She laughed coldly and slammed the door. Mulch heard their footsteps echoing down a hallway.

It was time. Mulch estimated he would have a maximum of ten minutes before the man came back to get the mail cart. Now was the time for action.

Mulch shuffled his chair backwards until he was submerged into darkness and he kept going until the back of the chair bumped against the cart. He bent his head as forward towards the post and stretched out his beard. The dwarven hairs stretched out and felt along the cart. Dwarf hairs were just like extra fingers. Using his beard he was able to locate a small envelope and a pen. Mulch grabbed it with his teeth.

Mulch shuffled his chair back into the light so he could see what he was doing. Although his hands were bound together at the wrist they weren't tied behind his back. The person who had tied him was careless. Now Mulch took the envelope in his fingers and carefully pried it open. He was a master at opening letters without leaving a trace.

He did it all the time when he was snooping into other people's business. Then after he had read their letters, a little bit of spit on the envelope, and Grumpo's your uncle, not a trace left.

Mulch was especially careful with this one. If anyone noticed it was different and investigated, all hope would be lost. He carefully pulled out the letter inside.

Mulch scribbled out the memo printed there and scribbled down a short message, then returned it to the envelope. On the outside he wrote a new address. And now, the final part of his plan was to be put into action. Mulch wriggled around a bit until a shining medallion was in his grubby fingers. He slipped it into the envelope and sealed it up again.

Mulch shuffled back to the cart and placed his envelope back upon it. He hoped the cart wasn't put in a certain categorical order or something. Mulch's sharp dwarf ears picked out footsteps hurrying down the corridor. Mulch quickly shuffled back into his position under the light.

The door opened and the cart was wheeled out. Mulch crossed his fingers. If there was one person who could get him out of this mess, it was Artemis Fowl…

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