Who can you trust in a group of bad guys? Zavok and Mimic find out the hard way in and are... less than happy. Meanwhile, Starline is struggling to maintain control of the rowdy group of villains.

Dr. Starline logs onto his computer after inputting his password and secondary voiceprint. He requests for the computer to activate a playback of the last development journal at a low volume. On-screen, the doctor talks about how his plans have been moving along quite well. His group has exceeded his expectations and he now has a surplus of Power Cores to aid in finalizing his long-term project. They also enabled him to make a device called the Tricore, which would allow him to hold his own against his more powerful foes should the need arise. Unlike the single-use Core Gear he created for his teammates, the Tricore can be used in rapid succession hundreds of times. Starline mentions that phase two of the plan was to invade an Eggnet hub where he will erase Egg Base Sigma from Eggman's databases and change all security to obey him; once the base was lost to Eggman and safely under Starline's control, he could finally move on with his true goal. He adds that the parameters of this may shift due to Zavok, as he said things to him that stuck with him. However, Starline makes it clear that despite this, he plans to eliminate his teammates with his new robot forces once the new headquarters is secured. Though he feels wasteful in doing so, he states that the alternative is too risky and they are too dangerous to let roam free. Zavok enters the room agreeing, startling the platypus.

Starline says that for a big guy like Zavok, he moves pretty quietly. Zavok says he is when he wants to, and adds that "Starline" is pretty stealthy too, revealing the platypus to be a disguised Mimic. Mimic tells Zavok to keep his voice down to avoid awaking the real Starline, who is asleep nearby. He then tells Zavok he never trusted Starline, but he did not try to make a move until he had good intel. He then wonders if Zavok came for the same reason. Zavok says he has already confirmed his lies himself, as in the previous issue, he activated a red Power Core on touch, so he thought the devices they were promised were booby-trapped. Mimic checks the computers and confirms they were not, leading Zavok to state Starline was as short-sighted as Eggman. Mimic also read that the devices were to prevent misfires, which meant that Starline wanted to have his teammates be at their best until he disposed of them. Mimic then pulls out his knife to kill Starline, but Zavok intervenes and takes him outside. An impatient Mimic expresses his displease at not killing Starline now, but Zavok says they still needed him to access the Eggnet, and that Starline will not make his move until he gets what he wants. Zavok tells Mimic that tomorrow, they will open a way to what "they" want, then he will reward Mimic's patience by letting him kill Starline. Mimic accepts, but says that if it looks like Starline is moving up the timetable, he will not wait any longer. Zavok agrees with him, then tells him to get some rest.

The next day, the gang is driven to the base by Starline.Rough and Tumble try to come up with new rhymes to include each member of the crew.

"For what's it worth it's been an honor having you as my servant," Zavok said to Starline.

"Nothing personal," Starline said to him. He's fallen for my ruse, which makes ambushing him all the easier.

Unbeknownst to him, Mimic smugly smiles over this exchange.

At the Eggnet hub, Starline provides the group with personalized Power Core gear.

"I was hoping to be tail-like," Tumble sighed.

"The next time I upgrade them, they can be tail-shaped," Starlined replied.

"Why don't have one?" Rough asked.

"Quite simple, no skills to enhance."

That's a damn lie. Venjix saw right it through as Zavok and Mimic look at each other knowing that this was not the truth.

"First things first, Mimic, we take down the guard towers."

"Right."

Zavok (equipped with a red Power Core) and Mimic (equipped with a yellow Power Core) set off to take down the hub's guard towers.

"Door's clear! Gimmie some launch speed, bro!" Tumble said.

"Time for a fastball!" Rough said.

Rough revs up with a Spin Dash (using a blue Power Core) and launches Tumble (also equipped with a red Power Core) onto the gate of the hub. Using his enhanced strength, Tumble rips off the gate, giving an entry for the others.

Zavok and Mimic continue taking down the rest of the guard towers and soon join the rest of the crew at the hub's main door.

"Knock, Knock!" Tumble attempts to smash his way in, only for Starline to stop him.

"No! No! No! There's sensitive equipment in there!"

"Leave to the pros, kid!" Venjix said as he popped his hand off to open the door.

"This is it, mere steps from total victory."

"I ain't even smash anything yet!" Rough complained.

"Then the interior guard is all yours, try not to break anything else."

The skunk rushes in and takes down an Egg Knight with his tail. Another Egg Knight shoots at Zavok, but it has no effect on him. The Zeti then crushes the robot with his fist.

"Here we are, the central computer!"

"Do you even know the login?" Mimic asked.

"No, but developed a command algorithm to bypass security," Starline said.

"Just had it lying around," Venjix rolled his eyes.

" I developed it for another project but it's not important at the moment."

"Good point, work fast, it won't be long until Eggman found out he's being raided."

"Oh, he was alerted once, you and Zavok, took out the guard towers. He's mobilizing now."

"What!?" Mimic and Venjix gasped.

"Don't worry controlled Eggman's information feed now, he could tell him that it was Sonic and Rainbow Dash and give him the coordinates to a different facility."

Eggman's HQ

"Somebody about to a lesson of what happens when someone careless dope mess around with Doc," Cozy Glow grinned.

"Indeed, my little filly," Eggman replied. "Scamble the aerial forces. We're going rain down on some punishment on them.

Wait a minute. we just report that Sonic and Rainbow Dash are ransacking a depot twenty miles out. Orbot said to them with a new update.

"That doesn't make any sense, that's too much of a mistake to be a glitch."

"Maybe, Tails sent a dummy transmission?" Shadowforce suggested.

"Or the other way around," Chrysalis told him.

"No matter, We'll check both areas, rain fire, and sift through the ashes," Eggman said as he and Cozy Glow boarded the Egg Hawk and took off, with the other two right behind them.

Back at the hub...

"He's logged in his flight plan, we're in the clear!" Starline exclaimed.

"And the denfeses?" Zavok asked.

"They are now protecting us."

"Time to pay the piper, Doc," Mimic said to him.

"One thing at a time," Starline said then Mimic raises his dagger to the platypus' throat.

"I'm done being polite," Mimic said.

"What the hell!? I thought we were working together?" Rough and Tumble asked.

"Mimic found evidence that Starline was using us only to be eliminated," Venjix said to them.

"Go ahead, try to deny it," Mimic threatened him.

"You need me to delete you from the database."

"Then do it."

The doctor complies and deletes Mimic's file.

"And what about my payment?" Venjix asked.

"I already transferred the money into your personal bank account, every dime of it."

"Assign command to all available Badniks within the area, it will be the first slice as I carve off more of his territory for myself," Zavok ordered then Starline handed it over to him.

"Congrats, Mimic, you're a free man," Venjix said.

"At last," Mimic was joyed. "And for you Zavok, an entire chunk of the Eggman Empire conquered in five minutes."

"Indeed," Zavok smiled.

"And what about us?!" Rough shouted.

"We were promised weapons!" Tumble complained.

"You guys can have the core gears."

"That could work." Both of them like it.

"Which means for you, Starline, it's the end of the line," Zavok said as the five villains prepare to finish the doctor off forever.

What will be the fate of Dr. Starline? Find out in the epic conclusion of It's Good To Be Bad!