Chapter 359: The Factory
Frank brought Goodman into Heisenberg—but not as a partner, and certainly not with the full truth.
The fact that Heisenberg had been founded by Frank, Walter, and Pinkman was the biggest secret of all.
In front of Goodman, Frank presented himself as nothing more than a mid-level manager within the organization.
Once Goodman joined, he would effectively become Frank's subordinate—working under him.
"So… what exactly would I be doing?" Goodman asked cautiously. "Handling legal cases?"
"What you can do goes far beyond just lawsuits," Frank said, giving him a meaningful look.
"?" Goodman was puzzled.
"The reason you're being brought in isn't just because you're a lawyer," Frank continued. "What matters more is that the higher-ups value your local connections. You understand?"
Goodman's expression shifted instantly—realization dawning.
A country this large wasn't uniform. Every state had its own ecosystem, its own tangled web of forces. Any external power needed a local guide.
And he—he was being chosen as that "guide" for Heisenberg in New Mexico.
Frank didn't need to spell it out. Goodman was smart enough to fill in the gaps himself.
"What do you need me to do?" Goodman asked.
"Find the right people to work with," Frank replied.
"Find people? Work with who?" Goodman still looked confused.
"Heisenberg is planning to appoint a regional distributor here," Frank said. "Someone with the capability to move product—at the very least, from here to Chicago."
After a brief discussion, Goodman hurried off, practically radiating excitement—as if he had just hit the jackpot.
"Let's go," Frank said to Castle, who had been waiting nearby. "We've got more to do."
While Frank and Goodman had been talking, Castle had stayed at a distance—close enough to keep watch, but far enough not to overhear.
Frank appreciated that about him. No unnecessary curiosity. No questions he shouldn't ask. No listening where he shouldn't listen. The perfect professional—like a reliable "mute."
Right now, Frank had two major problems to solve: transportation… and the factory.
The transportation issue could be handed over to Goodman.
But the factory was another matter.
Without setting it up properly, the production facility hidden beneath it couldn't even begin operating.
Technically, the factory could also be outsourced to Goodman.
But that would be risky.
The production site was directly underneath. If Goodman got too close, he might discover that Blue Angel was being manufactured right here in New Mexico.
Frank had already gone to great lengths—laying down layers of misdirection—to conceal that exact fact.
So this part… he had to handle personally.
Fortunately, the solution wasn't complicated.
Frank had already planned everything in advance.
If Pinkman hadn't suddenly quit—throwing everything into chaos and pushing Frank toward the idea of dismantling Heisenberg—this plan would have already been executed remotely through Walter.
Frank made a long-distance call to Gretchen, who was overseas.
The very next day, equipment began arriving at the factory, and installation got underway.
Frank's shell chemical company was quickly connected with Gretchen's gray-market enterprise, and several contracts were signed.
Gretchen's company specialized in high-end chemical technology. It required massive quantities of semi-processed raw materials—far more than it could produce on its own.
So, it partnered with smaller companies, outsourcing orders and purchasing materials directly from them.
It was no different from how smartphone manufacturers operate. No company produces every single component themselves—many parts are outsourced or sourced from suppliers.
In some cases, for more niche or hard-to-source materials, Gretchen's company would even support smaller businesses directly—providing equipment, technical guidance, and resources.
It worked much like an agricultural cooperative.
A company would need raw materials, so it would partner with local farmers—providing seeds, tools, and training. The farmers would grow the crops, and once harvested, the company would buy everything back for processing and resale.
This model was common in industries like dried fruits and agricultural products.
It benefited everyone involved—a mutually reinforcing cycle where both sides profited.
In many regions, this exact model had been used to lift entire communities out of poverty. The idea of "those who prosper first helping those who come later" wasn't just a slogan—it was a working system.
In this setup, Frank's shell company played the role of the "farmer."
Gretchen's company provided everything—equipment, technical support, and operational structure.
Frank didn't need to build anything from scratch. All he had to do was procure raw materials, process them, and deliver the semi-finished products back.
As long as nothing went wrong—no production issues, no collapse on Gretchen's side—the company would essentially generate profit on autopilot.
Gretchen's enterprise was worth hundreds of millions. Countless smaller businesses depended on its orders to survive.
Even a fraction of its contracts was more than enough to sustain Frank's operation.
This "cover factory" wouldn't just avoid losses—it would likely bring in substantial, fully legal income every year.
That was the advantage of having powerful backing.
Still, Frank never lost sight of the real purpose of the factory.
It wasn't about profit.
It was about concealment.
The factory existed to mask the production facility hidden beneath it.
Because of that, staffing had to be kept to an absolute minimum—the fewer people, the better.
Fortunately, this was the age of industrial automation. This wasn't a labor-intensive assembly line like Foxconn. Most of the work could be handled by machines.
A handful of engineers—just one or two operators, even—would be enough to keep the entire facility running.
Per Frank's instructions, Gretchen had arranged for orders that were highly automated, requiring minimal human involvement.
Of course, none of this had been set up overnight.
Frank had already coordinated everything with Gretchen in advance. The equipment, contracts, and supply chains all took time to prepare.
And everything had to be done discreetly—especially without her husband finding out.
After two or three days of preparation, the factory was finally ready.
Production could begin at any time.