Disclaimer: I obviously do not own 39 clues, because then I wouldn't be posting this on this website.
Marissa Grace breathed in quietly, the microphone in her hand shaking with nervousness as she made sure her hair was perfect. This was her only shot; she shouldn't take it for granted. Fixing the dress she herself designed, she stared at her makeup-less face and tried not to fidget.
Maybe she needed some makeup, or maybe she shouldn't even go on that stage. She'd probably just choke. Or maybe she isn't really cut out for this; maybe she should go back home and start painting again, maybe work on her shading a little more.
Before she could really turn around and book it, a man with a clipboard tapped her bare shoulder and told her it was time.
Gulping quietly, she gripped the microphone tighter as she ascended the steps, trying to breathe in and out. If Jonah could do this, so can I, she thought to herself as she pushed anything that wasn't the lyrics from her mind and walked with a sort of stomp in her step to the middle of the stage, the Voice's coach seats making her eyes widen slightly.
Oh god, oh god, oh god, maybe it isn't too late to run, but she breathed in and slowly put the microphone in front of her rosy lips, humming along to the melody as she closed her eyes. "Oh, how about a round of applause, yeah?" she sang, tilting her head to the side and acting like she was challenging anyone to do so, "Standing ovation? Oooh, yeah."
She pointed at someone in the crowd, trying not to react when she found her familiar, "You look so dumb right now. Standing outside my house, trying to apologize, you're so ugly when you cry." Marissa pulled a disgusted face, making shooing gestures. Then she frowned, looking away as she sang, "Please, just cut it out."
She continued singing, making gestures and schooling her features to go along with the song, soon enough, she heard three beeps, indicating three coaches wanted to pick her. Not long, another beep sounded and she ended the song quickly as she sang with a vulnerable melody, "But it's over now…"
The sound of millions of pairs of hands clapping made Marissa bite her lip to keep herself from crying, her grin blindingly white as she bowed, her raven curls bouncing slightly as she bowed with a flourish. Before any of the celebrities could compliment her, the lights suddenly switched off, leaving everyone shouting in confusion.
What the bloody hell was happening? She thought to herself before she let out a surprised squeal as she felt burly arms wrap around her waist before another hand slapped a handkerchief before her mouth and nose. Gasping with her eyes wide, Marissa fainted, not knowing that this will be the last time she'll ever be seen in public.
She heard one last thing as she faded away,
"Goodnight, little Janus."
Thalia snorted quietly, her brown eyebrow cocking up as she walked around the wanted criminal, her blue eyes glinting. "So, you didn't kill the girl, eh? Didn't choke her to death? Didn't, oh, I don't know, rape her with those disgusting oven mitts you call hands?" she hissed, slamming her hands against the small table, making the other men in the room jump slightly.
She leaned forward, her face a centimeter from his as she regarded him with a patronizingly horrifying expression, "Would you like me to pat you on the back and go along with everything you say? You killed her; we have evidence and a testimony to that fact. You better just confess, man, before I decide to do something you wouldn't like."
The man in question shook his head indignantly, his eyes wide with fear, "I didn't, I swear. She's my friend's daughter, who would even think-" he stopped talking all at once when he looked into her icy eyes. He paused, his eyes glazed, like he just stopped breathing all of a sudden.
No one saw Thalia reach down and insert a truth serum in his system through a tiny injection.
No one noticed Thalia pull away with a grin that promised justice.
And no one ever would, for the man started blabbering on with his confessions with glazed eyes and tears streaming down his face in pain. "I killed her! She was so innocent and my wife wasn't there at all. She never really loved me, of course she didn't. No one would. But that little girl asked me why I was so sad and told me that she would do anything to make me happy again and I-I-" he choked on his words, his face red.
Thalia turned around, her face lined with disgust as she walked away, "Take him away, boys. That's all I needed to hear."
Detective Thalia was the youngest of them all, yet the most skilled. She did what she saw was right, and sometimes even did that things that wasn't right at all. She was ruthless and she never trusted anyone. She would never walk away from a case, and she never failed a single one. She was the best of the best.
Thalia shook her head as she called it a day, lazily saluting to the other men around her as a goodbye before walking out, clutching her leather coat tighter to her form.
She never heard the quiet footsteps behind her, didn't notice the looming form walking behind her in syn. She was too busy thinking of her case and planning it out when someone grabbed her in an alley, picking her up and shoving a handkerchief in her mouth.
"Night-y night, Lucian." The voice hissed in amusement.