PARALLEL PARADIGM
Writer: Ken Penders
Penciler: Jim Valentino
Inker: Ken Penders
Colorists: Frank Gagliardo & Patrick "Spaz" Spaziante
Letterer: Jeff Powell
Editor: Justin Freddy Gabrie

On Earth, a woman named Particle is being interrogated by Agents Scolder and Mully. Particle tells them that she used a vibrational tuner, which sent her to a city that looked futuristic. She saw a talking hedgehog, chipmunk, fox, rabbit, walrus, and coyote. She didn't want to hurt them so she stunned them. Particle knew she wasn't in the right place and used the tuner again. She ended up by a sign that said "the zoot chute." She went down the chute and found a huge emerald with an "elephant" inside. Particle was confronted by Knuckles, but she was expecting him. When she shook his hand, she sent an electric pulse through him that knocked him out. Particle took the emerald with her when she left. Particle asks to go to the bathroom, when suddenly Scolder faints. Particle touches Mully's neck and she is knocked unconscious. Particle runs away.

Scolder and Mully wake up and decide to follow their remaining lead. They go to an electronics repair store and meet Eddie, who has information that they're looking for. On Halloween, Eddie was riding his bike when he saw some kids dressed as video game characters. The two dressed as Sonic and Knuckles were asking Spawn if he could tell them where they are. Spawn ignored them and walked away. Eddie walked up to the kids and told them that he'll help them get home. However, he soon discovered that these kids weren't dressed as video game characters, but were actually Sonic, Knuckles, Sally, Tails, Bunnie, Rotor, and Antoine. Knuckles tells him that he woke up to find the island sinking and turned to the Freedom Fighters for help because he couldn't sense the chaos emerald anywhere on Mobius. Rotor had a vehicle that could fit everyone and they all went on the Cosmic Interstate to find the chaos emerald following Nicole's energy readings. It lead them to this planet, but they need some help in finding the chaos emerald's exact location. Eddie agrees to help.

Eddie goes back into his house and comes back as Shadow Hawk and joins the Mobians' search. Nicole leads them to Grand Central Station and they follow a train. However, the Savage Dragon spots them and gives chase. Ohmen also sees what's going on and decides it's time to change identities. Shadow Hawk talks with the Dragon, while Knuckles and the Freedom Fighters board the train. Union (Ohmen) joins Shadow Hawk and the Dragon and the trio follow the train.

Meanwhile, Knuckles, Sonic, and the Freedom Fighters find the chaos emerald and confront the man who is responsible for having it stolen. He claims that Knuckles will get to know him "very well" and that Sonic was "lucky" the first time. His blabber is interrupted as Shadow Hawk, the Dragon, and Union break into the train through the roof. Union's blast hits the chaos emerald and the emerald creates a portal and sends everyone spinning. The train stops and is approached by Swatbots that enter the train to find everyone is knocked out, except for our villain (note: he's not given a name other than Doctor within the story, but the copyright info identifies him as Dr. Ian Droid).

Droid has everyone put in the dungeons, except Particle who is asking him to come through on his part of the bargain. Droid says she better get an attitude ajustment and turns his attention to a couple of robots that are disturbed by a box. Droid hears an unusual sound coming from the box. Particle sneaks down into the dungeons and finds Anita, her sister, who was being held captive.

Droid is surprised as the Maxx comes out of the box. Droid orders his robots to get the Maxx. Meanwhile, Particle and Anita are freeing everyone from the dungeons. Velocity, a friend of the Dragon, is found to also be occupying a dungeon along with Knuckles, the Freedom Fighters, and the Image heroes. Everyone hears a loud noise coming from above and Sally tells Sonic to find out what's going on since he's the fastest. Velocity claims that she's faster and Sonic and Velocity start racing. They go up the stairs to find that the Maxx is using the chaos emerald as a bowling ball to knock out the Swatbots. Droid decides to demonstrate his knowledge of the powers of a chaos emerald and uses it to begin to merge different realities. Knuckles comes up from behind and starts to try to take control over the chaos emerald's energy. Droid sends his Swatbots to destroy Knuckles, but Sally tells everyone, "Smash any Swatbot before they can even get near Knuckles!" Knuckles hears two voices in his head, Dimitri, who tells him to use the power to rule the universe, and Locke, who tells him that it's Knuckles' choice as how to use the power he has. Knuckles wishes for everything to be restored to the way it was.

A moment later, Velocity, Shadow Hawk, Union, and the Dragon find themselves at a military base with Droid, who's unconscious. The four leave the base, and that's the end of Eddie's story. Scolder and Mully discuss the information they've received.

In Mobotropolis, Sally, Rotor, Bunnie, and Antoine are working on fixing the city. Sally admits that she misses Sonic and Tails so much that she almost wouldn't mind if Robotnik was around. Meanwhile, in the Chaos Chamber, Knuckles is checking on the emerald again. Mully doesn't believe the stories that Particle and Eddie gave her and Scolder because of the lack of physical evidence, while Scolder believes that the stories prove the existence of multiple realities.

Next Story is in KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA #10