that gulls were not merely creatures of the sea。 In the preceding months he had been subjected to all sorts of physical abuse； but it had strangely slackened off in the past few weeks。 Perhaps they‘d bee tired of hurting him； Zacharias told himself。 And maybe there really was a Santa Claus； too； he thought； his head looking down at the dirt。 There was little consolation to be had here。 There were other prisoners； but his attempts at municating with them had all failed。 His cell had no windows。 He‘d seen two faces； neither of which he had recognized。 On both occasions he‘d started to call out a greeting only to be clubbed to the ground by one of his guards。 Both men had seen him but made no sound。 In both cases he‘d seen a smile and a nod； the best that they could do。 Both men were of his age； and； he supposed； about his rank； but that was all he knew。 What was most frightening to a man who had much to be frightened about was that this was not what he had been briefed to expect。 It wasn‘t the Hanoi Hilton； where all the POWs were supposed to have been congregated。 Beyond that he knew virtually nothing； and the unknown can be the most frightening thing of all； especially to a man accustomed over a period of twenty years to being absolute master of his fate。 His only consolation； he thought； was that things were as bad as they could be。 On that； he was wrong。
‘Good morning。 Colonel Zacharias；‘ a voice called across the pound。 He looked up to see a man taller than himself； Caucasian； and wearing a uniform very different from that of his guards。 He strode towards the prisoner with a smile。 ‘Very different from Omaha； isn‘t it？‘
That was when he heard a noise； a thin screeching whine； approaching from the southwest。 He turned on instinct … an aviator must always look to see an aircraft； no matter where he might be。 It appeared in an instant； before the guards had a chance to react。
Buffalo Hunter； Zacharias thought； standing erect； turning； to watch it pass； staring at it； holding his head up； seeing the black rectangle of the camera window； whispering a prayer that the device was operating。 When the guards realized what he was doing； a gun butt in the kidneys dropped the colonel to the ground。 Suppressing a curse； he tried to deal with the pain as a pair of boots came into his restricted field of vision。
‘Do not get overly excited；‘ the other man said。 ‘It‘s heading to Haiphong to count the ships。 Now； my friend； we need to bee acquainted。‘
Cody…193 continued northeast； holding a nearly constant speed and altitude as it entered the dense air…defense belt surrounding North Vietnam‘s only major port。 The cameras in the Buffalo Hunter recorded several triple…A batteries； observation points； and more than a few people with AK…47s； all of whom made at least a token shot at the drone。 The only thing …193 had going for it was its small size。 Otherwise it flew on a straight and level course while its cameras snapped away； recording the images on 2。25…inch film。 About the only thing not shot at it were surface…to…air missiles： …193 was too low for that。
‘Go； baby； go！‘ the Major said； two hundred miles away。 Outside； the four piston engines of the Warning Star were straining to maintain the altitude necessary for him to watch the drone‘s progress。 His eyes were locked on the flat glass screen； following the binking blip of the radar transponder。 Other controllers monitored the location of other American aircraft also visiting the enemy country； in constant munication with RED CROWN； the Navy ship that managed air operations from the seaward side。 ‘Turn east； baby … now！‘
Right on schedule； Cody…193 banked hard to the right； ing a touch lower and screaming over the Haiphong docks at 500 knots； a hundred tracer rounds in its wake。 Longshoremen and sailors from various ships looked up in curiosity and irritation； and not a little fear for all the steel flying in the sky over their heads。
‘Yes！‘ the Major shouted； loudly enough that the sergeant…controller to his left looked up in irritation。 You were supposed to keep things quiet here。 He keyed his mike to speak to RED CROWN。 ‘Cody…one…niner…three is bingo。‘
‘Roger； copy bingo on one…niner…three；‘ the acknowledgment came back。 It was a false use of the ‘bingo‘ code word； which ordinarily meant an aircraft with a low fuel state； but it was a term so monly used that it made a more than adequate disguise。 The Navy enlisted man on the other end of the circuit then told an orbiting helicopter crew to wake up。
The drone cleared the coast right on schedule； keeping low for a few more miles before going into its final climb； down to its last hundred pounds of fuel as it reached its pre…programmed point thirty miles offshore and began circling。 Now another transponder came on； one tuned to the search radars of US Navy picket ships。 One of these； the destroyer Henry B。 Wilson； took note of the expected target at the expected time and place。 Her missile technicians used the opportunity to run a practice intercept problem； but had to switch off their illumination radars after a few seconds。 It made the airedales nervous。
Circling at five thousand feet； Cody…193 finally ran out of fuel and became a glider。 When the airspeed fell to the right number； explosive bolts blew a hatch cover off the top； deploying a parachute。 The Navy helicopter was already on station； and the white ‘chute made for a fine target。 The drone‘s weight was a scant fifteen hundred pounds now； barely that of eight men。 Wind and visibility cooperated this day。 The ‘chute was snagged on their first attempt； and the helicopter turned at once； heading for the carrier USS Constellation； where the drone was carefully lowered into a cradle； ending its sixty…second bat mission。 Before the helicopter could find its own spot on the flight deck； a technician was already unfastening the cover plate on the photo partment and yanking the heavy film cassette from its slot。 He took it below at once； and handed it over to another technician in the ship‘s elaborate photo lab。 Processing required a brief six minutes； and the still…damp film was wiped clean and handed over yet again to an intelligence officer。 It was better than good。 The film was run from one spool to another over a flat glass plate under which was a pair of fluorescent lights。
‘Well； Lieutenant？‘ a captain asked tensely。
‘Okay； sir； wait one 。。。‘ Turning the spool； he pointed to the third image。 "；There‘s our first reference point。。。 there‘s number two； she was right on course 。。。 okay； here‘s the IP 。。。 down the valley； over the hill … there； sir！ We have two； three frames！ Good ones； the sun was just right； clear day … you know why they call these babies Buffalo Hunters？ It‘s …‘
‘Let me see！‘ The Captain nearly shoved the junior officer out of the way。 There was a man there； an American； with two guards； and a fourth man … but it was the American he wanted to see。
‘Here； sir。‘ The Lieutenant handed over a magnifying glass。 ‘We might get a good face off of this； and we can play with the negative some more if you give us a little time。 Like I said； the cameras can tell the difference between a male and a female …‘
‘Mmmmm。�