Sonic and Shadow stood in one of the few labs at The GUN Base that wasn't destroyed. The president had been moved to a different location after insuring the hedgehogs that GUN would fully support them if needed. The GUN Commander stood behind a man in lab coat, who was sitting in front of a computer. "So any idea why they stole Diablon?"

The commander glanced towards Shadow and then back to the computer, "No! We had just had it repaired after The Black Arms incident. How or why the doctor knew about it is a mystery."

The man in the lab coat sighed, "Your not going to like this sir!"

"Tell me!"

"Those creatures that Robotnik is using are near perfect clones. He is using Shadow's DNA as a base for each of those creations."

"My DNA!" Shadow moved closer to the screen.

"Yes! Your DNA was designed to fully harness the powers of The Chaos Emeralds. It is extremely adaptable when exposed to chaos energy. He is using that to bond your DNA with others. I think everything he is doing is leading up to something big."

"Explain!"

The man nodded, "The hedgebots and the other troops are phase one. He bonded the different DNA strains together with technology to create near perfect troops. Almost completely with freewill and one hundred percent loyal."

Sonic shrugged, "So what is next?"

"Sperk!" Shadow said the name with disgust.

"Yes! I don't have a sample, but I bet that he created him by bonding all the DNA from you and your friends to a normal strand." The man in the coat typed a few more buttons, "The next step is most likely to be a perfect clone. So far he is bonding DNA together to keep it stable."

The commander cracked his fist, "Damn! Like it wasn't enough that he had better technology. Now he is breeding weapons." He turned towards the hedgehogs, "We will need to work together if we are to stop this mad man." He saluted, "We are counting on you."

Before the hedgehogs could respond, the man in the coat jumped to his feet, "Sir! I have just received a report. One of Robotnik's warships has been detected near Angel Island."

"The Master Emerald!"

The Gun Commander cursed, "If he gets that emerald. Sonic, Shadow! I will have our fastest jet put at your deposal. We must stop him before he gets that emerald."

Knuckles shot out of the forest and slammed his fist into the face of a hedgebot. The bot smashed into a tree and dropped to the ground. The echidna sighed and looked around. He had gone to sleep as the sun set and was woken up just a few hours later to this attack. His traps were slowing the invaders down, but many were penetrating the island. He had sealed The Master Emerald under its altar and gone hunting. He kicked the downed hedgebot, he had taken out about twenty of the things. "I don't like the fact that you have disturbed my island." He smiled, "But I have always wanted to punch Sonic in the face." He missed the fact that the hedgebots looked like Sonic and Shadow, but he enjoyed it none the less. He turned to ready another ambush, but the forest around him exploded into flame. A large red and black echidna stepped out of the fire. He rushed at him and threw his large fist at him. Knuckles slammed his fist into the ground and flew into the air. He dropped from the air and slammed both of his fists into the echidna's head. The echidna dropped to the ground as Knuckles landed. He shook his hand, "A metal skull? What are these things?" The echidna pushed himself up and pulled his plasma rifle from his back. Knuckles burrowed into the ground as the rifle fired a green bolt at him. Knuckles burst out of the ground behind the echidna and dropped his fist into the echidna's knee. The large echidnabot dropped to the ground and Knuckles jumped on top of his chest. He hammered his fists into the echidnabot's face. After several punches, the bot stopped moving. Knuckles sighed, "Finally!" The echidnabot's face was covered in puncture wounds and was half caved in. A large crash went off and another echidnabot stepped out of the burning forest. "Crap!" Knuckles turned to fight the new opponent. Several flashes of red light exploded behind the bot and he dropped to the ground. His back was charred and burnt. A large red robot stepped out of the forest and into view. Knuckles recognized the symbol on the bot's shoulder, "Omega!"

"I have come to stop Robotnik's plans. Do you wish to assist?"

Knuckles heard several explosions in the distance. They had gotten past his mines, "Sure! Lets take them out."

Sonic paced the small cargo bay of the jet he and Shadow were riding. It was fast, but they were still an hour away from the island. Shadow was busy searching through data on a laptop he barrowed. Sonic stopped and tapped his foot, "I can't stand this." Shadow glanced up, but said nothing. The blue hedgehog grumbled and ran in a circle for several minutes. He stopped and sat on the metal floor, "How can you just sit there? Our friend is in danger."

"Your friend!" Shadow set the computer on the floor and stood up, "I want to get one thing straight. I am not a part of your little group. I need your help killing Robotnik, that is all. So don't lump me in with your pathetic group." Shadow sat back down and pulled the computer in front of him, "And I am not just sitting here. I am checking a hunch. There is something that isn't quite right about all this."

Sonic laid downed and sighed, "Whatever!"

Three hedgebots opened fire with their laser rifles as Omega flew at them. The shots bounced off his armor and he rammed into the trio. He grabbed two of them with his clawed talons and flung them into another group of hedgebots. His talons retracted and quad barrel guns popped out of his hands. He sprayed the area with laser fire. He stopped firing and scanned the area, "Cybernetic life forms eliminated!"

Knuckles ran up after clearing his area, "Nice!"

"We must locate The Egg Warship." Omega took a step forward and stopped, "Metal!" The blue metal hedgehog was standing several feet away.

"How many times is Robotnik going to rebuild you?" Knuckles ran at Metal with his fists ready. As he neared Metal, a hand shot out of the ground and grabbed his leg. He was flipped onto his back as a green hedgehog pulled himself out of the ground. He grabbed Knuckles's legs and spun him around. He tossed the echidna into the air. Knuckles spun in mid air and landed on his feet. "And you would be?"

"Sperk!" His crimson eyes flashed, "So what did the boss say?"

Metal chuckled, "We can kill these two!"

"Finally!"

Omega shot forward with his thrusters, "I will terminate Robotnik's robot." He flew past Sperk and went right for Metal.

"An obsolete model! This will be amusing." Metal used his jump jets to jump over Omega as he tried to tackle him. Metal activated his shoulder cannons and fired them as he landed on his feet. Omega spun around and blocked the laser bolts with his armored arms. Omega's arm shot out and grabbed Metal's head. He flung the metal hedgehog around and slammed him into the ground. Omega backed away and activated his hand cannons. Metal chuckled and stood up, "Not bad!" His eyes glowed, "But I can do better."

Knuckles and Sperk ran at each other and unleashed an assault of punches at each other. Repeatedly, the two slammed into the other's fist. Sperk's agility allowed him to match Knuckles move for move, but after a few impacts of fists, he came to a realization, 'He is stronger than me!' Knuckles put more power into his punch and it rushed forward. Sperk wisely jumped back as the echidna's fist impacted the ground. It cracked and exploded in a dust cloud. Knuckles shot through the dust cloud and picked up a large piece of earth that had cracked off. He flung it as he ran at the green hedgehog. Sperk smacked it down and pulled one of his daggers from his belt. He threw it at Knuckles.

The echidna chuckled and moved to the side just enough so the dagger flew past, "I'm not that slow." The dagger exploded behind Knuckles and knocked him off balance.

Sperk ran forward and hit Knuckles with an uppercut to his chin. The sharp spurs on his fist just missing his chin. Knuckles landed on the ground and slowly rolled to his feet. "Come on guardian. Prove to me your blood was worth adding to my own."

Knuckles grinded his teeth, "I will crack your head open."

Metal activated his blades and scraped them together as he waited for Omega to attack, "Lets go!" Omega's eyes glowed and swung his large arms. Metal ducked it and shot at Omega. Omega used his thrusters and flew backwards to avoid Metal. The android threw his twin blades and the chains clanged as the blades flew threw the air. The metal blades impacted Omega's chest. The robot grabbed the chains and tried to pull the blades free. Metal curled into a ball and shot forward. His sharp quills spinning at high speed. He crashed into Omega and blasted him back. Metal uncurled and pulled on the chains. Omega momentum was stopped and he landed on the ground. The blades vibrated and Metal pulled them free and retracted them back. Metal's quills had cut into Omega's armor, but the bot still moved even with his exposed circuits sparking.

"You will not destroy this unit."

The gems on Metal's arms glowed and he shot Omega's head with twin beams of red light. The beams blasted through Omega's head and the bot fell to the ground. Metal walked over and kicked the bot hard enough in the side to dent the armor, "That will teach you that discarded junk has no place fighting me."

Sperk ducked a punch from Knuckles and rammed his fist into Knuckles's side. The echidna slammed both of his fists into Sperk's back. The hedgehog fell down, but his quills cut into his fists. Knuckles grabbed Sperk by his neck and held him up, "Not so tough now."

Sperk grabbed Knuckles's wrist and rammed his feet into the echidna's face. As the grip loosened, he pulled on Knuckle's wrists and pressed down his feet into his face, "I'm have more at my disposal than your strength."

Metal stepped up, "Finish him! I want to get that emerald and..." A blue and black ball shot out of the forest and slammed into Metal. The android hedgehog was sent flying into the forest out of sight.

Before Sperk knew anything, a pair of fist impacted his face and was sent flying to the ground. A black and red hedgehog stepped forward as a blue one helped Knuckles up. Sperk stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth, "Shadow!"

"Didn't expect me did you." Shadow crouched down ready to attack, "Before I kill you, I will find out exactly what is going on."