Book 42
The copaiba is a biotech holy grail: a tree whose sap does double-duty as Diesel fuel. Tap a tropical forest, fill the tanks of a nation! That's fine if you're a country close to the equator, but American energy giant Tulsa Torrent has an even better idea: genetically modify the pulpy profit centers to thrive in the cooler conditions of Northern California. Everything's proceeding apace until the bodies begin piling up and forest fires breaking out. The copaiba project is too economically significant for CURE to let the chips fall where they may—it could eliminate America's need for foreign oil—so Smith sends in one "Remo O'Sylvan, U.S. Forest Service tree reclamation technician."