Chapter 19: The Cartel Showdown
Jesse had known this day would come—the moment when his growing influence would be tested by the very people who had made him, and the very people who could tear him apart. The cartel was never going to be happy with a new face in charge. He wasn't Gus Fring, and the idea of an outsider—someone with no real cartel lineage—rising to the top made some of the old guard nervous.
That nervousness turned into something more tangible when Jesse received the anonymous tip. It wasn't just idle chatter. It was a warning. A few of the cartel's higher-ups were planning a move against him, and it would come soon.
Jesse knew he couldn't wait to react. He had to take the initiative. The question was: how?
Step One: Divide and Conquer
Jesse wasn't Gus. He didn't have Gus's cold, calculating mind, nor his vast network of resources. But what he did have was speed, intelligence, and the element of surprise. He began his plan by isolating those he suspected of being part of the rebellious faction. He started with the weakest link, the one who had the most to lose—Ramiro, a middle manager who had been with Gus since the beginning but had always felt underappreciated.
Jesse didn't trust anyone in the cartel completely, but Ramiro's fear was his greatest asset. He didn't need to kill him or scare him—he just needed to manipulate the situation to his advantage.
Over the course of the next few days, Jesse met with Ramiro in secret. He presented a picture of his future vision, one where Ramiro could rise to power within the new structure. But Jesse was no fool. He didn't show all his cards. Instead, he gave Ramiro just enough to make him believe he was an ally, while subtly planting doubts about the loyalty of the others in the cartel.
"You've been loyal to Gus, I know that," Jesse said, his voice steady but forceful. "But Gus is gone. He's not coming back, and the others in the cartel are starting to see that. They think you're just a pawn in this game."
Ramiro's eyes flickered, the doubt Jesse had planted slowly taking root.
"I'm not saying you should turn on them," Jesse continued, "but I'm saying you have to think about where your future lies. If you want to survive, you have to choose the right side. And I'm offering you that side."
By the time their conversation ended, Ramiro had agreed to align himself with Jesse, though he wasn't fully convinced. Jesse could sense that. But that wasn't the point. He didn't need loyalty from Ramiro just yet. He needed him to be the catalyst that would fracture the cartel's unity.
Step Two: The Unseen War
With Ramiro onboard, Jesse began to sow further chaos within the cartel. He used his network of contacts—people who trusted him from his earlier operations—and began creating small incidents designed to divide the cartel members. It was always subtle. A misplaced shipment here, a slight sabotage there. Nothing that pointed directly to him, but enough to make the others question each other's loyalty.
Jesse was no longer a passive player. He wasn't just managing a meth empire—he was destabilizing an entire organization. And he knew that Gus's downfall had left a power vacuum that no one was prepared for. In the chaos, Jesse saw an opportunity to not just rise above the cartel—he could potentially tear it down from the inside out.
Meanwhile, his own cartel allies were becoming more eager. They saw Jesse as someone who could take the fight to the old guard. His ruthlessness, mixed with his intelligence, had made him a force to be reckoned with. The once-powerful men who ruled the streets now found themselves looking over their shoulders.
Step Three: The Confrontation
The confrontation came when Jesse had enough leverage to make a final move. It was late one evening when he summoned the cartel's remaining leaders—those who had been loyal to Gus, those who had not yet pledged themselves to him. It was a gathering of the last bastions of power in Gus's empire, and Jesse had every intention of bringing it all crashing down.
The meeting took place in a remote, secure location. No phones, no outside communication. Jesse had made sure the room was equipped with everything he needed—surveillance, a quiet escape route, and most importantly, witnesses to the deal he was about to propose.
When the cartel members arrived, Jesse stood at the head of the table, calm and composed. He was no longer the terrified pawn he had been months ago. He was a leader in his own right. And the time for subtlety was over.
"I know you've been plotting against me," Jesse began, his voice sharp. "And I know why. You think I'm just a chemist, just some guy who got lucky. But here's the reality: you're all running scared. Gus is gone. And you—" Jesse pointed to a few of the men who had been his most vocal opponents—"you've been making moves without thinking about the consequences."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle in the room. "But I'm not Gus. I don't need to outsmart you or outplay you. I'm going to destroy everything you've built."
The room went dead silent.
Jesse's eyes flickered to Ramiro, who stood nearby, acting as a silent witness. Ramiro had already secured his place with Jesse, and his presence was enough to remind the others of the shifting tide. Jesse wasn't bluffing.
"Either you fall in line, or you're out of this game," Jesse continued. "I'm giving you a choice. But make no mistake: the time for loyalty is over. I've taken down your empire once before, and I can do it again. But this time, I won't leave anything standing."
The tension in the room was palpable. Jesse's cold, calculated words hung in the air like a sword ready to fall.
Step Four: The Aftermath
The aftermath of the meeting was swift. Several cartel members—including some of Gus's most trusted men—opted to cut their losses and pledge their loyalty to Jesse. The power dynamic had shifted. No one could afford to defy him now.
But not everyone fell in line. A few of the most stubborn leaders made a desperate attempt to retaliate. Jesse had expected that. He wasn't naive enough to believe that everyone would bow to him without resistance. The final showdown was inevitable.
Within a week, Jesse had arranged for the remaining rebellious cartel members to be dealt with. The cartel no longer operated as it once had. It had fractured beyond repair, and Jesse was now the new face of the drug empire that had once belonged to Gus Fring.
Rachel's Breaking Point
In the midst of the cartel's collapse and his rise to power, Jesse's personal life had become even more strained. Rachel had grown increasingly frustrated by his evasions. She knew he was hiding something. And one night, after another quiet dinner, she confronted him once again.
"Jesse, I need to know what's going on with you. This isn't just about me not knowing. You've changed. I can see it. And I'm tired of pretending like everything's fine when I know it's not."
Jesse had been prepared for this moment, but that didn't make it easier. He knew the time had come to either tell her the truth or risk losing her forever. And he couldn't lose her. Not now.
"I'm not who you think I am, Rachel," Jesse said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm involved in things... dangerous things. Things that, if you knew about them, would scare you. But I'm not the person I used to be. I'm doing this for us."
Rachel stared at him for a long moment. She could see the pain in his eyes, but there was something else there too—something she didn't quite understand.
"I don't want your lies, Jesse. I don't want the money or the life you're offering," she said quietly. "I want the person I fell in love with. But if you're going to keep hiding things from me, then I don't know if we can keep going."
Jesse didn't know what to say. He had made his choice—he'd chosen power, the empire, and everything that came with it. But in that moment, he realized he might lose Rachel forever if he kept walking this path.