Chapter 271: Business
"What's the issue?" Frank asked.
"In New York, there are many gangs, and a lot of them specialize in this business. Why are you looking to collaborate with someone in the arms trade?" Cottonmouth questioned.
"Because you are a businessman," Frank replied.
Just like running a company, strong leadership is crucial.
As the saying goes, "A bear leads a pack of bears." Many gang leaders are covered in tattoos and draped in gold chains, flaunting their criminality. Even if a gang grows large, such individuals seldom last long.
What Frank was after was business—he needed a reliable partner who could ensure stable transactions. He didn't want to partner with someone who might disappear after a couple of months, either due to being taken down or arrested, leaving him to find someone new and possibly facing repercussions.
Thus, Frank didn't need brash thugs but rather a mature and stable collaborator. The moment he laid eyes on Cottonmouth, he knew he was a suitable partner.
Moreover, most gang leaders in this business were addicts who tested their products by sampling them. Frank had no desire to partner with such individuals.
"So, are you interested in this business?" Frank pressed.
Cottonmouth fell silent, tapping his fingers on the table as he contemplated.
"If Blue Angel takes off in New York, there will be others seeking to partner," Cottonmouth said.
"You will always be a partner of Heisenberg. In fact, I'm willing to grant you first-level distribution rights. Heisenberg will work exclusively with you, allowing you to develop secondary distributors and wholesale the product to others," Frank stated.
"Are you serious?!" Cottonmouth's eyes lit up at the prospect.
Although he was involved in the arms trade, Cottonmouth had some awareness of the quality of Blue Angel. If Frank truly handed him first-level distribution rights, it would be akin to striking gold—an incredibly lucrative opportunity.
In the future, if other gangs in New York wanted to sell Blue Angel, they would have to source it from him, creating plenty of profit margins.
Not only would he be making money, but Cottonmouth could also leverage the sales rights of Blue Angel to forge connections with other gang leaders, expanding his influence.
While Cottonmouth had some power in Harlem, when it came to the wider New York scene, he was just another small-time player, overshadowed by larger gangs.
Not far from him, the Hell's Kitchen area housed a formidable force that no one dared to provoke; even the boss's name was rarely mentioned.
"However, I have a few requirements," Frank continued.
"What requirements?" Cottonmouth asked, regaining his composure. Nothing good comes without conditions.
"First, don't disclose our identities to anyone else. Heisenberg will only conduct business with you, and you won't meet anyone else," Frank laid out.
This meant Frank would be the sole supplier to Cottonmouth, which would reduce profits, but it would also ensure confidentiality. The fewer people who knew Heisenberg's identity, the better. The more mysterious Heisenberg remained, the safer Frank and his associates would be.
"Second, regarding your smuggling channels," Frank added.
New Mexico was far from Chicago, and even further from New York. Frank couldn't personally transport the goods every time.
Cottonmouth had his own smuggling routes to get the products to New York.
"Third, the monthly supply will be limited and needs to be discussed in advance," Frank continued.
Their production capacity was limited, confined to that RV. If they received too many orders, they wouldn't be able to supply enough, so this needed to be clarified from the start.
Frank outlined his requirements to Cottonmouth.
"Alright, I agree to all of them," Cottonmouth nodded after considering the requests. They weren't unreasonable, and he understood the rationale behind them.
"So, where do we pick up the goods?" Cottonmouth inquired.
While Cottonmouth had smuggling routes, they were limited in scope. If the distance was too great, it could become unmanageable.
"Chicago," Frank replied.
He didn't explicitly mention New Mexico, instead stating Chicago to mislead Cottonmouth into thinking Blue Angel was produced there.
When the police investigated, they would find Cottonmouth's operations and conclude that the goods were shipped from Chicago.
Additionally, since Heisenberg first appeared in Chicago, this would reinforce the belief that Blue Angel was produced there, creating a smokescreen.
The more safety measures in place, the better; the more layers of protection, the less they would have to worry about trouble.
"Here's to our successful partnership." After discussing details like pricing, Cottonmouth extended his hand.
"To a fruitful collaboration," Frank replied, shaking hands and solidifying their agreement.
To celebrate their successful partnership, Cottonmouth opened a bottle of rare red wine.
"I have a batch of stock available now, and you can start selling immediately," Frank said, raising his glass.
"How much?" Cottonmouth asked.
"Thirty pounds," Frank replied.
"I'll take it all!" Cottonmouth exclaimed.
The next day, Frank and Pinkman brought the goods to Harlem Paradise, exchanging cash for product and netting over a million dollars.
From there, it was Cottonmouth's responsibility; Frank was no longer involved.
The business deal concluded, but Frank and Pinkman didn't head straight back—they stayed in a hotel for a few days.
When they arrived, they had brought the goods without flying or taking a train.
Now, with so much cash on hand, they certainly couldn't risk flying or taking a train back; they would need to drive home and take time to rest, or their bodies wouldn't handle it.
During their stay in New York, Frank visited Joseph's estate but found it still sealed off after all this time, with no one allowed inside.
Next, he stopped by Stephen's place, that doctor with the disability in both arms.
Frank felt a pang of guilt regarding Stephen.
When he had been broke on the streets of New York, living off Frank's influence, he had taken advantage of Stephen's hospitality. Despite Stephen's foul mouth and bad temper, he had genuinely helped Frank.
Yet, when Stephen fell into hardship and squandered his money, Frank hadn't offered any assistance and simply walked away.
Though it was Frank's influence that led him to act that way, it didn't change the fact that he had been ungrateful.
Therefore, Frank wanted to find Stephen to make amends, at the very least by giving him some money.
However, when Frank reached Stephen's apartment, he found it had been taken over by someone else. After asking around, he couldn't find any leads on Stephen.
(End of Chapter)