LOST PARADISE, Part 2: FALLOUT
Writer: Ken Penders
Penciler: Manny Galán
Inker: Andrew Pepoy
Colorist: Barry Grossman
Letterer: Vickie Williams
Editor: Justin Freddy Gabrie

In Haven, Locke is wondering what Lara-Le is going to tell Knuckles. Meanwhile in Echidnaopolis, Knuckles, Archimedes, and Julie-Su are led by Constable Remington into a police station. Remington apologizes for not recognizing Knuckles' station. However, he refuses to call Knuckles anything other than "Guardian" or "Guardian Knuckles" because Knuckles is his superior officer. Knuckles tells him that he's "just an ordinary joe doing his job." Remington informs Knuckles that someone wants to meet him and once Knuckles and Julie-Su sit down, their chairs go through a trap door. When Knuckles' fall ends, he finds himself in a room and is being approached by a figure.

In the middle of Echidnaopolis, the ground shakes again, but the echidnas see images of dingoes in the streets. At the same time in another city, the dingoes see images of the same echidnas in their city. The dingoes' leader is General Stryker and believes the "cursed" echidnas are conducting an experiment. He decides that the dingoes will fight back this time "no matter what the cost."

Meanwhile, Knuckles finds out the figure is Hawking, his great-grandfather seven generations removed. Hawking tells Knuckles that the dingoes would steal echidna technology, but they didn't know how potent the technology was. One day the dingoes launched nuclear missiles at Echidnaopolis. Hawking used the technology sealed during Edmund's reign as Guardian to protect Echidnaopolis from the attack. However, the bombs did explode and the radioactive dust threatened all life on the Floating Island. Hawking, using Dimitri's theories, created the Hyper Zone Projector to move Echidnaopolis and all forms of life to their own zones until the nuclear mess could be cleaned up. He didn't return Echidnaopolis and the dingoes back to the Floating Island because he ran out of power. Afterward, Hawking shows Knuckles a statue of Edmund and Steppenwolf holding up the Floating Island, which symbolizes their responsibility. Before Knuckles can ask questions, another quake interrupts the session.

In the police station, Remington finally lets Julie-Su out of her room, which she stayed in because of "security reasons." Remington wants Julie-Su to accompany him as Knuckles' representative because the dingoes have taken over a housing complex and Lara-Le is one of the hostages. In Hawking's inner sanctum, Knuckles, Archimedes (he's been on Knuckles' shoulder the whole time), and Hawking get up. Hawking leads them to a monitor where Knuckles sees that the dingoes have his mother held hostage. Three guesses who's a little upset? The first two don't count.

To Be Continued in KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA #6