The updated beta version of 0.4.0 brings cartels in Schedule 1, which is one of the hardest challenges yet. Since the Benzies’ power influences access to areas, you will face them early, and your decisions will chart your storyline. This guide covers unlocking the cartel quest, what first meetings entail, and the effects of accepting or rejecting their offer.
How to Start the Cartel Storyline
Currently, interaction with Benzies tends to feel buggy. When starting a new save, the initial step is to establish a strong pool of potential clients in the Westville region, as progress will not move forward until this is done. If you are carrying on with an older save, you most likely would have unlocked almost all the regions and clients in Westville, so you are already halfway there.
In that case, the next step is to sleep in-game. Once you wake up, you’ll receive a message from the cartel boss himself, inviting you to meet him. If the quest functions properly, your destination will be Taco Ticklers, which is also the starting point for every new save. There, in the parking lot, Thomas will be waiting for you inside a black SUV with the window rolled down, ready to talk.
Accepting or Refusing the Deal
When you meet Thomas, he’ll introduce himself and even reveal an interesting detail about your RV (though we’ll avoid spoilers here). After that, he’ll present you with two choices. If you decide to accept his terms, you avoid going to war with the cartel. However, this comes at a cost—you’ll essentially become one of his dealers, supplying him with drugs at regular intervals for less money than you would normally get on the market.
If you refuse, things take a very different turn. By rejecting his truce, you’re declaring open war on the Benzies. His men will actively target your dealers, doing their best to destabilize your operation and make things harder for you. On the plus side, your uncle Benji will step in with guidance on how to strike back. Choosing this route opens up a completely separate questline where your ultimate goal is to topple the cartel once and for all.
