The doctors explained the real risks, plainly, to each volunteer — the surgery, the recovery, the right of anyone to withdraw at any moment, for any reason or none, without a word of explanation owed to anybody.

No one could be paid.

No one could be pressured.

It had to be a free gift or it could not happen at all.

One by one, for reasons of health or of match, the candidates were ruled out, and the clock kept running, and Aurelio kept waiting.

Chapter 27 — The Match

At midday, Dr.

Ochoa came into the waiting area with a different expression than he had worn all week.