BLACK AND BLUE AND RED ALL OVER
Writer: Ken Penders
Penciler: Manny Galan
Inker: Andrew Pepoy
Colorist: Barry Grossman
Letterer: Vickie Williams
Editor: Justin Freddy Gabrie

In Knothole, Rotor is showing off his new Party-Hearty Quadra Sonic Rock 'n' Roller to Sonic when the alarm goes off. According to the Freedom Fighters' satellites, something bad is happening on the Floating Island. Sally, Sonic, Rotor, Tails, and Antoine head for the Floating Island.

On the Floating Island, Knuckles knows someone is messing inside the Chaos Chamber and to his surprise he finds someone who looks like Sonic, except he's wearing shades and a black leather jacket. However, the Sonic twin isn't alone, he brought with him someone who looks exactly like Knuckles, except for the black beret. Knuckles loses his fight with his twin, but the intruders leave through a portal. Archimedes appears and as he and Knuckles leave the chamber, they find Sonic, Sally, and Tails outside. Knuckles tells them what happened and Sonic says "if it's who I think it is, then I know how to find him! So how about we see if we can't take him by surprise?"

The Freedom Fighters and Knuckles take the Cosmic Interstate to another Mobius on a plane. On the plane, Sally tells Knuckles that she has never told anyone about what she knows about the Floating Island or their friendship. Because Sally and Knuckles are clueless about where they are, Sonic explains that this is a Mobius where the Freedom Fighters are the bad guys and Robotnik is a kind family doctor. However, Evil Sonic and Anti-Knuckles take them by surprise, but it's short lived as it's Evil Sonic vs. Sonic and Anti-Knuckles vs. Knuckles. Sonic wins his fight and the Anti-Knuckles gives up saying "I should never have resorted to violence in the first place--no matter what the reason!" The reason is that someone is draining the power of the chaos emeralds that sustain his world, the Sunken Island.

Anti-Knuckles takes Knuckles, Sonic, Tails, Sally, Rotor, and Evil Sonic to the Sunken Island. They hear some blasting and Nicole leads them to a room where Robotnik is using the chaos emeralds of the Sunken Island to power new weapons he has created. Swatbots capture everyone and Robotnik tells the Swatbots to jettison them into the ocean. The Swatbots send Tails into the water, but Evil Sonic, angry at being double-crossed by Robotnik, trashes the Swatbots. Rotor goes to save Tails, while Sally, Sonic, Anti-Knuckles, and Knuckles surround Evil Sonic and force him to tell them what's going on.

Sonic and Knuckles confront Robotnik, who starts to use his new "toy" on them. Archimedes appears and tells Knuckles that Robotnik opened a gateway to their Chaos Chamber. Sonic and Sally draw Robotnik's fire while Knuckles and Anti-Knuckles get Knuckles' chaos emerald. Robotnik tries to destroy Knuckles' chaos emerald, but the energy beam bounces off and hits Robotnik, who disappears. Anti-Knuckles takes the chaos emeralds from Robotnik's broken "toy" and puts them where they belong. The Sunken Island is saved and the Freedom Fighters and Knuckles go home.

To Be Continued in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #45