DARK VENGEANCE, Part 2: THE GAUNTLET
Writer: Ken Penders
Penciler: Manny Galan
Inker: Andrew Pepoy
Colorist: Barry Grossman
Letterer: Vickie Williams
Editor: Justin Freddy Gabrie

Enerjak transports Knuckles to a Mobian moon and they bicker over who was in the right during their last encounter. Next, Enerjak takes Knuckles to the deepest depths of a Mobian ocean.

Simultaneously, Kragok questions Julie-Su's loyalty, and Julie-Su says to him that Knuckles doesn't mean anything and she was using him to find the Dark Legion (DL). However, when Julie-Su is sent away to continue her duties, she feels that she doesn't belong with the DL anymore.

In Echidnaopolis, Lara-Le visits Remington and asks him to contact Locke, which is against proto-cols. Remington ponders over what he should follow, his orders or what's probably right?

Meanwhile, Knuckles avoids becoming shark food, only to have an one-eyed squid grab his legs and start pulling him down for his dinner.

In Haven, Locke finally wakes up to find that Hawking isn't dead, but in a coma. Suddenly, the alarms go off and Locke and his father discover that Julie-Su is working with the DL, which is preparing to attack Echidnaopolis. Their other problem is they can't locate Knuckles.

Knuckles allows the squid to pull him close to its eye, which he punches with all his might. The squid lets him go and Knuckles swims to the surface to find Enerjak waiting. Enerjak tells Knuckles that this will end once Knuckles is ready "to kiss my feet and beg for mercy." Knuckles replies, "Fat chance of that, bub."

At the DL headquarters, Vector, Mighty, and Espio are tied up and see Julie-Su walk by. Vector says that he knew she was bad, while Mighty sticks up for Julie-Su. Vector gets free of his rope and knocks out the guard. However, before he can do anything else, Julie-Su sprays knock-out gas on the trio. Kragok orders Julie-Su to finish them.

Enerjak teleports Knuckles 30,000 meters above the Floating Island and it's freezing cold. Knuckles pretends the cold doesn't bother him, which makes Enerjak so angry that he puts Knuckles in an inescapable free fall to the ground of the Floating Island.

At the same moment, Kragok puts Archimedes and Deo Volente into a box, which has an electo-magnetic field that prevents them from teleporting. Kragok has the box buried in the sand and makes that tired old line about conquering the Floating Island and then the world.

Enerjak stops Knuckles' free fall an instant from the ground. He tells Knuckles to submit to him or else. Knuckles' response conveys the meaning of "No way, Jose!" Enerjak proceeds to use his powers to break up Knuckles into particle (neurons to be exact).

To Be Continued in KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA #9