Emperor of the North

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Matthias swung a roundhouse punch towards the black Walking leader and was rewarded with an uppercut to his jawline. Matthias returned with some rabbit punches and a sucker punch to the abdomen. The Walking leader reeled back and Matthias surged forward with a two handed punch to the side of the head that knocked the Walking leader to the ground. The arbitrator counted down and raised Matthias' hand in the air as the champion.

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Later Matthias was walking along the line of the black crew swinging their pick axes on the rocky ground. Coming up on the Walking crew leader Matthias congratulated the Walking crew leader on a good fight. Returning to Mr. Durabian's office on the Train Mattias gave his report on the days progress by the workers. "That's good to hear Mr. Zavakos. Would you care for a drink, Matthias?" "Yes, please" After leaving Mr. Durabian to his work Matthias walked towards his tent when Ms. Gavin appraoched him and inquired if he wanted some comfort. Having won a few dollars from the fight Matthias decided why not and allowed her to enter his tent. The next morning Matthias woke up and learned the supply train had arrived at day break. The crew of workers were happy because supplies were low and this should be the last delivery before they hooked up with the Central Pacific in in the Utah territory.

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Several years later Matthias found himself still working for the Union Pacific as a Train detective and would make sure nobody snuck onboard the trains as they rolled along the tracks. By 1876 Matthias had tired of the job and decided that it was time to move on.

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Terrell Durabian used his stock in both the Union Pacific and Central Pacific to become fabulously wealthy and eventually sold most of his shares just before the recession of the 1890s. Terrell learned that Oil was the next money maker and decided to invest some of his money in the new industry. Walker Shelburne, the architect of the Terrell mansion gave some tips about which Oil companies to invest in. Terrell was building his new mansion in Marin county just outside San Francisco. "Terrell! Young master, Eric has done it this time!! I am going to kill him!!" Yelled Faye Durabian. Terrell ran to the construction site and found that Eric had knocked out some bricks and mortar with a sledgehammer. Terrell looked at the young man and saw the amount of damage caused. by his son. At the age of 11 young Eric was nearly 5 foot 10 inches and very strong for his age. Terrell decided to calm down and not admonish his son. "Eric, you are a strong young man and instead of tearing our new home down I am going to ask you help the crew build our new home. How would you like that?" "Fine!" retorted Eric.

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1935. Eric Turabian had enough of being the station chief and demanded he be moved to another job on the trains. "Fine, how about Detective?" replied the Regional director. "Nothing else, available?" "Sorry, but you have done everything else and these are the only positios left" Groaning, Eric reluctantly accepted.

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At the age of 85, Matthias Zavakos found himself poor during the depression. Having been married and raised a family Matthias was now alone having been widowed and his daughters living their own lives. Matthias found himself drwn back to the railroads in his old age. Having fought the previous Emperor several weeks ago Matthias knew it was only time before someone challenged him and at his age he did not know how long his strength would last.

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Eric Durabian too having found himself cast out of a comfortable life for many years was now trying to survive the depression. Drawn to the camps of the poor here and there as he walked the dusty roads and trails. Eric eventually found himself folloowing other like minded folks. Finding an occasional job or grubbing for food, Eric came upon the train tracks. The others in the group sat down on the hillside. One old man started talking about the railraods and was now talking about the newest Emperor was an old man. Eric perked up that an old man was the newest Emperor. "Yes, this new Emperor is named Matthias Zavakos and still in good shape for his age" Eric remembered the name that his father used to talk about when Eric was growing up.

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Jumping on the next train that came along, Eric was disappointed not to find the old man. Eric kept on jumping from train to train for several months in hopes of catching up with the old man that his father had talked about. One dreary winter morning Eric hopped aboard a train outside of Ames, Iowa and was talking owards the rear. Suddenly an old man swung up on to the roof of a coach car from the coal tender. "You, Matthias Zavakos?" asked Eric. "Not that it matters to you young man, but yes it is" "I am Eric Turabian, son of Terrell Durabian. My father used to talk about you when I was growing up" Matthias couldn't believe his ears. "Now that is mighty kind of your father to remember me but was it to you, young man?" '"My father always talked disparaging of you with a grudging respect. And now you are the Emperor I hear?" "Yes, I am, youg man" "Well guess what old man, I want to be the next Emperorand I am going to take that title now" Knowing this was coming some day, Matthias certainly did not expect that Terrell's son would be the one to challenge him.

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Knowing that several miles up the line that there was a lake, Eric was thinking that if he could time it just right maybe just maybe he could throw the you man into the lake. Eric landed the first punch to Matthias' stomach and it took a moment to gain his breath back, Matthias tried to use a haymaker punch but the punch barely glanced off the 40 year old Eric. This is not going to be easy Matthias thought. Eric landed several hard punches to the kidney and nearly sent Matthias off the train. Matthias recovered and landed a lower cut to the groin but Eriuc only wi=nced and came right back with a line to Matthias' jaw. Matthias ran into and managed to get Eric on his back where Matthias started kicking furiously on both sides of the ribs. Matthias looked up for a second to catch how far the lake was and it was about two minutes away. Eric managed to get to his knees while Matthias took his bearing. Matthias landed a two handed fist to Eric's jaw that flattened him. Matthias started kicking Eric towards the edge. When he heard the wheels change their note that indicated they werre on the bridge. Eric managed to slowly get to his knees again and Matthias punced both of Eric's ears. Eric was noe enraged and stood up. Running at Eric wiith all of his might Matthias slammed into the man and sent him flying off the train and arcing just past the edge of the bridge falling straight down onto the frozen lake. A minute later Matthias heard a strange noise coming from the railraod bridge. Suddenly the bridge gave way and the railroad train fell straight down into the frozen lake with a crunching noise. Both the bridge and the train disappeared.

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2012. NUMA Engineer Fred Sterling was researching online about lost trains and scrolling down several times until one jumped out at him about a train disappearing into an Iowa lake. Reading about the Dorset 1419 that disappeared in the winter of 1935 at Lake Winnipesauk. The article only gave the few facts known. There was little effort to investigate as it was only a freight train. Remembering how there were notices in local papers if any known names of the crew or others were onboard Fred decided to check the nearest newspapers online. Indeed there were the crew names in the Smee Gazette. Searching other local newspapers Fred came across an interesting article in the Augustine Bugle about an 85 year old man and a young man of forty were believed to be on the train at the time and that the older man was the Emperor of the North who was battling the younger man to retain his title. Several hobos of that time volunteered this information.

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2013. Finally after a years work of planning and logistical work, Fred Sterling was over the site of the Dorset 1419 as the video of the ROV came upon the site there was detritus of a wreck but there was nothing there but an outline of the wreck scene as the train was not there at all as Fred stared in shock.

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Fred Sterling typed up a report and sent it to the Director of NUMA. Reluctantly, Fred decided to move on. Stepping out of the office, Fred turns to his secretary, Zoe Cannarotti. "Zoe, I am going to take a few days off. If anything comes up you know my number. Take care and I will see you soon, Zoe" With a twinkle in his eye, Fred steps out of the office. Three days later, a report by the technical analysts of the train wreck site was placed on Fred's desk by Zoe.