DEEP COVER, Part 2: DEBT OF HONOR
Writer: Ken Penders
Penciler: Manny Galan
Inker: Andrew Pepoy
Colorist: Barry Grossman
Letterer: Vickie Williams
Editor: Justin Freddy Gabrie

Julie-Su, Tobor, and Lara-Le are having tea and cookies in Lara-Le's apartment. Lara-Le asks Tobor which mattered more to him, being a Guardian or a husband and father? Tobor replies that he never thought about it much because he figured it was the normal order of things for him to become Guardian and have a wife and child. He just didn't realize the demands and sacrifices involved.

At the Echidna Security Agency, Knuckles and Remington are in Kragok's cell. Kragok says he's not saying anything unless it's just him and Knuckles. Knuckles says fine, but Remington says "I can't just lock you inside with a dangerous criminal." Knuckles' reply to that, "Why not? I promise not to hurt him!" Knuckles gets Remington to leave him alone with Kragok after a bit of a staring contest, which Knuckles of course was going to win because Knuckles can always pull rank. Now it's just Knuckles and Kragok without anyone within shouting distance.

Back at Haven, Sabre walks in on Locke, who is having problems making a new part and comments that "an enemy would be hard-pressed to figure out a more vulnerable place to strike." Sabre doesn't like that because the list of suspects begins and ends with the Brotherhood.

Back in Kragok's cell, Knuckles asks Kragok to tell him all he knows about Tobor. Kragok wants to what's in it for him. Knuckles pushes him against the cell's mirror and basically says "tell me or else." Kragok isn't impressed because he uses his metallic arm, which has an electric gun, to blast Knuckles across the room. First hit to Kragok as the inevitable fight breaks out. Suddenly a wormhole is created and the two are transported to some zone. Kragok doesn't like where they are as he yells "Not here!! Not again!!! I swore I'd never return here again!"

In Lara-Le's apartment, Lara-Le tells Tobor that she doesn't understand how Hawking could mistake a Legionnaire for him. Tobor says that the injuries that Moritori Rex had could allow for it and could've fooled the family by pretending to have memory loss and becoming a loner. Lara-Le says that Voni-Ca should've recognized an imposter and Tobor admits he never could figure that part out.

Back to the "cousins": Knuckles grabs Kragok and wants to know where they are and about Tobor. He gets a punch as a reply, and that did it, Knuckles is angry. Knuckles responds with his own punch which sends Kragok flying and then grabs him again. Then, Knuckles bends Kragok's metallic arm with one hand, much to Kragok's surprise, while saying "You're going to tell me all about Tobor and what the real deal is!"

In Haven, Sabre is talking with Spectre and Sojourner about the fact that one little part took out Haven. Sojourner is worried about enemy attack and Spectre reminds them that the Dark Legion (DL) shouldn't be taken lightly. Sabre says that the DL is at a low point, but agrees that the DL would attack if it knew they had problems. Listening to the whole conversation is "Tobor" (note: we know it's Moritori Rex, but the Brotherhood doesn't).

Finally, Kragok agrees to tell Knuckles what he knows, after he asks Knuckles what Knux knows, which is basically nothing. Kragok tells Knuckles that Dimitri had a son named Menniker who founded the DL and had Edmund killed (note: we know this from Knuckles #1-3, but Knux didn't learn this). He continues by saying that Steppenwolf, Edmund's son, mastered chaos power and exiled Menniker and the DL into the zone that they are currently in. Every once in a while the DL would escape, but the current Guardian would always stop them. The DL also lived one generation for every four generations the Guardian's lived. His grandfather (note: it says "father" in the comic but it should say "grandfather"), Moritori Rex, noticed that he could watch others in another zone, but they couldn't see him. Moritori Rex used this ability to set a trap for the then current Guardian so that he could impersonate him and conquer from within. Kragok admits that the name of the Guardian at the time was Tobor and Knuckles asks Kragok where is his grandfather. Kragok says "Wouldn't you like to know?" and shouts in surprise "Over there!" and points. Knuckles turns his head, and pays for it because Kragok clocks him really good while he isn't looking. Kragok then heads for a portal that has opened. When Knuckles recovers, he notices Kragok going for the portal and thinks to himself "Could that possibly be the way out? What a bust that would be if he got through and I didn't!"

Meanwhile, Lara-Le is looking through photo albums with Julie-Su and she can't find pictures of Tobor or Voni-Ca anywhere. As Tobor starts to talk, he gets a mental flash that tells him that Knuckles is in trouble. Julie-Su and Lara-Le are shocked and want to know where and how does he know, but all they get is "I just do!" as Tobor glides out the window. Julie-Su asks Lara-Le if it's "always like this?" and Lara-Le decides to have a chat with Julie-Su.

Tobor glides and he picks up Knuckles' energy coming through another zone, which he says is so much that it's like Knuckles is a "living chaos emerald." A portal opens up in the middle of the sky and out comes Kragok, who gets punched by Tobor. As Kragok fires his electric gun at Tobor, Knuckles makes his way through the portal with plans to continue his little fight with Kragok. However, Tobor grabs Kragok from behind and tells Knuckles to stay away because this is his fight. Knuckles watches as Tobor takes Kragok back into the zone and the portal closes again with Kragok and Tobor in the zone.

Back at Lara-Le's apartment, she's finishing her talk with Julie-Su. She told Julie-Su not to expect much more than friendship from Knuckles. Julie-Su says that's the farthest thing from her mind, as Knuckles glides in. He's greeted simultaneously by two hugs as Haven finally gets back on-line. The first thing the Brotherhood, including "Tobor," see is Knuckles being hugged by Lara-Le and Julie-Su, who also gives him a little kiss on the cheek. Thunderhawk and Spectre think that Knuckles and Julie-Su would be an interesting pairing, while "Tobor" wonders what caused Julie-Su to act the way she has. Sabre tells Locke that he should take it easy, like Knuckles is doing, which Locke says he'll consider. "Tobor" however is worried because he doesn't see Tobor around anywhere and begins preparing himself for any possible scenario.

Next Story is in KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA #19