The Tangelo-Deal

Role of Dr. Peter W. Rudelli

You are Dr. P.W. Rudelli and work as a researcher at a pharmaceutical firm. This firm has been commissioned by the government to find a means of combating biological weapons.

Recently a few experimental neurotoxic gas bombs from the Second World War were transported from the inner part of the country to a small island in the Pacific Ocean. During the transport it was discovered that two of the bombs were not completely sealed. Their leaks are being monitored by government scientists, who are of the opinion that within 2 weeks the gas will have seeped out of the bombs.

These scientists know of no method by which the gas can be stopped from escaping into the atmosphere, thereby reaching not only other nearby islands, but also, in time, the West Coast of the continent. If that were to happen, thousands of people would almost certainly suffer from brain damage and in time die because of this.

You have developed a synthetic product that can neutralize the effect of the gas if it is injected into the body of the bomb before the gas has escaped. This product is made from a chemical substance that is extracted from the skin of a rare fruit called tangelos. Unfortunately, only 4000 of these fruits were harvested last season.

You have heard from a reliable source that a Mr. H. Cardoza, an exporter of South American fruits, is now in the possession of 3000 tangelos. The amount of the chemical substance that could be extracted from the skins of these fruits would be sufficient to neutralize the effect of the gas if the serum is efficiently used and injected. In addition, you know that the skins of these tangelos are in good condition.

Dr. A. Giussani works for a large, rival firm. There is a lot of industrial espionage in the pharmaceutical industry. In recent years your firm and that of Dr. Giussani have met many times in the courtroom due to disputes over patent rights and alleged abuses of the law prohibiting industrial espionage. Two of these court cases are still pending.

The government has asked your firm for assistance, and you have been given the task of contacting Mr. Cardoza and buying the 3000 tangelos from him. You have been informed that he is determined to sell to the highest bidder. The head of your firm has authorized you to offer Mr. Cardoza a maximum of $250,000 for the purchase of this important raw material.

You have decided to talk to Dr. Giussani and dissuade him from the purchase of the tangelos before you negotiate with Mr. Cardoza.