“Hey, Robotnik!” Knuckles shouted, and punched the Giant Eggman Robot upside its head as hard as he could. The doctor’s moment of triumph was delayed as he reached for the pair of interlopers, but Tails led the jump off the robot and into the air.

As they fell, Robotnik swiped around him like a child swatting flies. He brought his big hands together on the red form of his former companion and laughed at the thunderous boom it created.

“Don’t mess with me, man! I have a PhD!!” the doctor cheered, only to open his tree-crushing hands and find . . . nothing.

“Missed me!” Knuckles called, running up a metal arm.

“And me, too!” Tails spun through the air in front of the mech’s face.

“Now that you mention it,” called the voice of Sonic . . . and at that instant, Robotnik flew into an uncontrollable rage.

And it wasn’t just those three now. A squadron of Tails buzzed around the robot’s head. Half a dozen Knuckles swarmed its legs. And worst of all for Robotnik, a fleet of Sonics zigzagged around the hills ahead, making electric blue crisscrosses as they went. The robot lifted its foot and found no body underneath.

-Chapter 19