Bode stood outside the training facility, the morning air crisp and cool as he waited for his meeting with Sonny Quinn. He'd heard plenty about the man—a legend among Navy SEALs, now a trainer for the Smokejumpers. Bode knew this was his shot, but a part of him couldn't shake the nerves gnawing at his gut.

The door to the facility swung open, and out stepped Sonny Quinn. He was exactly as Bode had imagined—tall, broad-shouldered, with a presence that seemed to command respect without a word. His grizzled beard and intense blue eyes gave him an air of experience and authority that immediately set Bode on edge.

"Bode Leone?" Sonny's voice was dee and steady with a thick Texas lilt, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—something that made Bode uneasy.

"Yes, sir," Bode responded, stepping forward to shake his hand.

The moment Sonny met Bode's gaze and clasped Bode's hand, his expression froze. His eyes widened slightly as he looked Bode over, his gaze lingering on his face as if searching for something. For a long, uncomfortable moment, Sonny didn't say anything. He just stared, his grip on Bode's hand tightening unconsciously.

Bode felt a strange tension in the air, like he was being studied far more intensely than he'd expected. "Is something wrong, sir?" he finally asked, his voice a little more tentative than he'd intended.

Sonny blinked, snapping out of whatever trance had held him. He released Bode's hand and took a step back, his eyes still fixed on Bode's face. "No... no, nothing's wrong," Sonny said, though his voice carried a note of disbelief. "It's just... damn, you look just like him."

"Like who?" Bode asked, confused.

Sonny shook his head, as if trying to clear his thoughts. "Clay Spencer. He was a member of my team. A hell of a guy. One of the best men I've ever known."

Bode nodded slowly, sensing the weight of Sonny's words. "What happened to him?"

Sonny's eyes grew distant, filled with a sorrow that made Bode's chest tighten. "Clay was killed trying to save help a fellow vet who was struggling with PTS. It was the kind of thing Clay would do—always putting others before himself."

Bode swallowed, unsure of what to say. He'd met a lot of people in his life, but no one had ever looked at him like this, like they were seeing a ghost. "I'm sorry for your loss," he offered, his voice sincere.

Sonny nodded, but his gaze never wavered from Bode's face. "You've got his eyes, his build... even the way you carry yourself. It's uncanny."

Bode shifted uncomfortably under Sonny's intense scrutiny. "I hope that's a good thing."

Sonny finally tore his gaze away, running a hand through his hair as if trying to compose himself. "Yeah, it's... it's a good thing. Clay was the best of us. If you've got even a fraction of his heart, then maybe—just maybe—you'll be a fit for this program."

Bode felt a mixture of determination and unease. "I'll work hard, sir. I'll do anything to prove that I'm worthy of this chance."

Sonny looked at him again, this time with a more focused intensity. "Listen, Leone, I'm gonna be straight with you. They have never taken a serious look at an ex-con as a candidate for this program. But a recommendation from Camden holds a lot of weight with me. It won't get you any favours... you're going to have to earn your place here, and it's not going to be easy. If you think you can handle that?"

"Yes, sir," Bode replied, his voice resolute.

Sonny gave him a curt nod, still clearly unsettled by the resemblance. "Good. Candidates need to have mental fortitude, good logic and reasoning skills, and the physical capacity to do the work. It's about who you are under pressure. Work with Camden over the next few months and prove to me that you've got what it takes, and we'll see where this goes."

Bode watched as Sonny turned and walked back into the facility, feeling a strange mix of emotions. He knew he had a lot to live up to—not just because of his own past, but because of the ghost of a man he'd never met. But if this was his chance to prove himself, to become the man he'd always wanted to be, then he was ready to take it.