Chapter 26: The Weight of Power
Jesse sat in his penthouse, the skyline stretching before him, a glass of whiskey in his hand. The first batch had moved without a hitch. Martinez's network was efficient, and the money was rolling in faster than ever.
But with more money came more eyes.
Jesse leaned back, letting the burn of the whiskey settle. The IRS problem was handled, but now Hank was sniffing around again.
And then there was Martinez.
The man was playing it cool for now, but Jesse knew how this worked. Sooner or later, Martinez would want more control.
Jesse wasn't about to let that happen.
Hank's Breakthrough
Hank tossed a stack of papers onto his desk, frustration boiling beneath his skin.
The money trail was off.
He had been digging into Jesse's past, and something didn't add up. The kid had gone from small-time dealer to completely off the radar.
Yet somehow, the blue meth was still out there.
And then there was the financial aspect.
Hank had gotten a look at real estate purchases in New Mexico. Buried under layers of shell companies, he found something odd—a high-end warehouse leased by an anonymous LLC.
And the lease started exactly when the blue meth resurfaced.
Hank exhaled. He finally had a lead.
All he needed now was proof.
Testing the Waters
Jesse met Martinez at an upscale bar downtown, both of them blending in among the city's elite.
The first deal had gone well, but Jesse wanted to know how Martinez operated—what made him tick.
"You made a lot of people happy with that last batch," Martinez said, sipping his drink. "And a lot of people very interested in you."
Jesse smirked. "As long as they're paying, they can be as interested as they want."
Martinez chuckled, but his eyes were sharp. "You're not worried about attention?"
Jesse shrugged. "Attention doesn't mean shit if you control the game."
Martinez nodded slowly. "Then let's talk about expansion."
Jesse leaned forward, his voice calm but firm. "Not yet. We build the foundation first. Scale too fast, you lose control. And I don't like losing control."
Martinez studied him, then smiled. "Smart man."
Jesse raised his glass. "That's why I'm still here."
But in his gut, he knew it wouldn't be that simple.
Martinez was feeling him out, just like Jesse was doing to him.
And at some point, one of them was going to make a move.
The NZT Strategy
Jesse sat on his couch later that night, flipping open the safe. Inside, the vials of NZT-48 gleamed under the soft light.
He had kept to his rule—three days off.
And tonight, he had felt it.
His mind was sharp, but not as sharp as it could be.
NZT made everything effortless.
Without it, he could still play the game, but it required more effort, more patience.
He exhaled, rolling a vial between his fingers. He wouldn't let himself depend on it.
But he also wouldn't be stupid.
If he was going to stay ahead of Martinez, of Hank, of everyone…
He needed every advantage he could get.
And that meant using NZT when it mattered most.