Bucky shook his head. “We can’t, gang. As much as we’d like to, for everybody’s safety, you know we can’t.” Sheepish expressions signaled agreement. The major’s warning, first heard in their initial briefing in Washington, D.C., and repeated many times with bone-chilling examples of the penalties for disregarding the order, must be heeded. You may think it’s safe to exchange names, addresses, information of your civilian life, but let me tell you a story…

The major had then told them many terrifying tales. One OSS agent had been caught, tortured, and subjected to a horrible death because she’d shared details of her private life with a fellow agent who’d fallen into the hands of the Gestapo. German intelligence had managed to track her identity through their network in the United States that had led to her capture in Berlin during the early stages of the war. The poor woman had been bound, gagged, and cremated alive.

“Do not for a moment think your identities cannot be traced in the United States,” he’d said. “I’m ordering you to keep your mouths shut about who you are, your families, where you live, where you were educated, and what you do for work and pleasure. If you want to stay alive, you’ll obey. Understood?”

They had understood.

Victoria now said, “Well, then, to be on the safe side, I suggest we set a place, time, and date to meet once the war is over.”

“Excellent idea,” Bucky said. “Suggestions, anyone?”

All eyes turned to Bridgette. Over the past four months they had begun to look to her as their leader. “Well, I’ve never been to New York City and promised myself I’d go someday,” she offered. “My first visit there would be even more special if it was to meet you guys.”

“Lovely idea,” Victoria said. “I can suggest a place that I went on my first visit there. How about the Rose Main Reading Room of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue as a rendezvous point?”

“Why not?” Bucky said. “Does everybody agree?”

Everyone raised a glass to concur.

“Now let’s decide when,” Chris said.

Bridgette spoke up instantly. “Tomorrow’s date is September twenty-third, the day our group breaks up. If we lose contact with one another, I suggest we meet at two o’clock in the Rose Main Reading Room of the New York Public Library the twenty-third of the first September after the war is over. Is everybody okay with that?”

“Done,” Brad answered.

There was a merry pounding of the table, interrupted when a British Army sergeant from the training staff appeared before them. “Party’s over, lads and lassies,” he announced. “Time to go.”

Bucky lifted his pint and thrust it out to the middle of the table. “To Dragonfly,” he said.