You are biological research scientists employed by a pharmaceutical firm, Company A. You've recently developed a synthetic serum useful in curing and preventing a newly discovered disease known as X12Y. This disease strikes African American females exposed to certain nerve gases, eventually causing internal bleeding and serious gastronomical pain. It has also been recently discovered that women who have had this disease and later become pregnant deliver babies with serious birth defects, unless they are treated within the first six weeks of their pregnancy . It turns out that all members of the U.S. Army are exposed to these nerve gases in training exercises. African American women who participate in these mandatory exercises are very likely to develop X12Y. You have found, with volunteer patients , that your recently developed synthetic serum cures X12Y in its early stages. The serum is made from the petals of the exotic orchid, of which only five thousand were produced worldwide this year. Additional plants will not be available until next season , which will be too late to cure this year's X12Y victims. (Review the setup on p. 281.)
You've demonstrated that your synthetic serum is in no way harmful to pregnant women, and there are no side effects. The U.S government has quietly approved the production and distribution of the serum as a cure for X12Y. Unfortunately, the current number of African American women suffering from this disease is larger than expected and your firm will not be able to produce a large enough supply of the serum unless you acquire enough of the orchids soon. The health of these women and their children is at stake. Your firm holds the patent on the synthetic serum, and it is expected to be a highly profitable product when it is generally available to the public because it is thought to have other applications, too.
You are aware that Mr. Greenthumb, a commercial florist for the Everglades of Florida, is in possession of four thousand of the orchids in good condition. If you could obtain three thousand of them, you would be able to both cure present victims and provide sufficient inoculations for the remaining women at risk this year.
You have recently been informed that Dr. Club and Dr. Spade from Company B are also urgently seeking these exotic orchids and are also aware of Mr. Greenthumb's possession of the four thousand available. Dr. Club and Dr. Spade have also been working on biological research for the past several years, but you do not think the research is aimed at developing the same type of serum. There is a great deal of industrial espionage in the pharmaceutical industry. Over the past several years , their firm and yours have sued each other several times for infringement of patent rights and espionage law violations.
You've been authorized by your firm to approach Mr. Greenthumb to purchase three thousand orchids. You have been told he will sell them to the highest bidder. Your firm has authorized you to bid as high as $3,000,000 to obtain the orchids. Before approaching Mr. Greenthumb, you have decided to first talk with Dr. Club and Dr. Spade to influence them so that they will not prevent you from obtaining the orchids you need.
Note | Additional information for Company B's representatives only begins on the following page. |