Chapter 8-

Hope walked out of the bathroom, pushing strands of her dark hair behind her ears. As much as she tried to keep her hair back it was unruly. How her mother had managed to fix it was beyond even her comprehension.

Hope was so busy trying to fix her hair she didn't hear the footfalls behind her. She didn't even know anyone was behind her until a strong pair of arms grabbed her in a viselike grip.

Hope struggled to get loose. She knew her father didn't approve of her using her abilities in public, but now would have been the perfect time to use them. Also if her father knew that someone was trying to take her then he would be more relieved than angry that she had disobeyed him in the first place.

Hope stretched her foot forward as far as she could and then released it, right into the assailant's face. She felt a sharp pain shoot down her leg as her ankle connected with something metal. But her pain was nothing compared to whoever was behind her. She heard him yelp and let her go. That was all she needed.

Hope took off running and bent her body in the shape of a tire and rolled all the way into the gym. Hope took deep breaths as she rolled right into the middle of the dance floor and crashed into the sound system.

A deathly quiet filled the gym as her body returned to normal and she looked up into the shocked eyes of both her mother and father. She took another deep breath and turned towards the entrance. Might as well see who it was that had grabbed her. Reed's shock turned to angry as he looked at her.

"Hope Richards, what are you doing?" Reed asked in a whisper as he came over to her and gripped her arm.

"Shhh!" Hope said, reaching her arm up and covering her father's mouth with her hand.

Hope tried to control her racing heart as the doors flung open. All her life her parents had told her stories about Victor von Doom. But the stories didn't quite prepare her for actually seeing him as he came into the gym. Reed's eyes turned to understanding as he looked down at her and Hope uncovered his mouth.

"Reed," von Doom said in a smooth cultured voice.

"Victor," Reed said coldly as he pushed Hope slightly behind him in a protective stance.

"Well, I heard that you had a daughter. I just never thought that she had inherited any of your abilities until that sharp kick she gave me," Victor said, touching the face mask he wore over his face. That had to have been what Hope had kicked. Considering that her father had told her that it was made of titanium steel alloy, no wonder her leg was sore.

'What do you want, Victor?" Reed asked evenly.

"You took everything from me, Reed. I've asked around. Besides Susan, the only other one you care about on this Earth is your daughter. You are going to know what it's like to lose her," Victor said menacingly.

Hope looked behind her as her father, Sue, Ben, and von Doom were distracted. Maybe there was something a lot stronger than her leg that she could hit von Doom with. The only thing behind her was the sound system. This would mean that the dance was going to end early, but all the kids would understand. Once she hit von Doom then she could run as fast as she could and take the dance with her.

"Victor, leave her alone. She's only twelve," Sue said, her eyes full of panic.

"I'm aware of that. If you had married me then she could have been ours," Victor said his voice a sneer.

Hope stretched her arm behind her and grabbed the sound table, soundlessly. Hope then flung the table forward as hard as she could before anyone could stop her, feeling her arm snap forward like a whip.

The table hit Victor and she rolled back into a tire. "Everyone, get out!" she ordered sharply, pushing the door open.

The dance followed her with the enormity of a stampede as they went out into the warm spring air. "What about Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, and the Thing?" Tracie asked, running alongside her.

"I think they'll okay. They've dealt with Victor before. Give me your cell phone and I'll call my uncle," Hope said. Tracie gave her the phone and she dialed in her uncle's cell number.

"Hello?" Uncle Johnny's voice asked casually over the line.

"Uncle Johnny, it's me. Mom, Dad, and Ben are in trouble and we need you," Hope said urgently.

"Hope, where are you?" Uncle Johnny asked, the casual tone gone.

"Still at the dance. Someone tried to grab me. I had to use my abilities to get away. It was Victor von Doom. Mom, Dad, and Ben are still in the gym," Hope said.

"Okay. Hang tight, Shorty. I'll be right there. Flame on!" Uncle Johnny exclaimed as he disconnected. That phrase was what would start his ability, making him the Human Torch.

Hope looked up as a streak of fire shot across the sky and landed in front of her. "Where are they, Hope?" Uncle Johnny asked.

"Inside. Do you need any help?" Hope asked.

"No. Just stay here in the doorway," Uncle Johnny said as he ran inside the building. Hope stood there, biting her nails to the quick. Making a snap decision she ran towards the gym.

Von Doom was facing off all four of them. "Daddy?" Hope asked, her voice carrying across the empty gym.

"Hope, get out of here!" Reed ordered sharply. Usually with that kind of voice Hope obeyed her father without questions; except for this time. Hope tucked herself into the tire formation and rolled across the gym towards her father and mother.

"Hope?" Sue asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"Sorry, Dad," Hope said softly as she glared Victor down.

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Reed couldn't believe what was happening. Hope had disobeyed him twice in one night. First she had used her abilities in public when he had told her not to. He actually could be more forgiving of that since she had done it in self-defense. If he was her he would have done the same thing. Secondly when he ordered her to do something she normally did it. This time she had outright said she wasn't going to leave.

"Hope, please leave," Reed said, pushing Hope slightly behind him.

"Dad, I was the one he tried to grab. I want to help you," Hope said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Well, you can't. Hope, just get out of here. You got the dance out. Now you get out," Reed said.

"Dad," Hope said, her voice trembling.

"Don't make me tell you again," Reed said, his voice holding a warning.

Reed pushed her further behind him. That was the hint of her to leave and now.

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Hope ran towards the back door blindly, trying not to look back at the door she just exited. She wanted to help her father and the others, but her father had made it clear that she wasn't allowed to play hero more than she already had. Hope was so busy running that she didn't see the pipe overhang. The next thing she knew she had hit the pipe hard in the shoulder and fell, hitting her head.