Episode 4 of "The Dropout" opens with the march of Dr. Jay Rosan towards a fateful encounter with the Walgreens board in March 2010. Elizabeth, her eyes sparkling with ambition, pitches Theranos to Jay, the Medical Director of Walgreens. She entices him with the vision of a wellness center, a utopia where her blood testing technology would reign supreme.
Months later, the Executive Vice President of Walgreens, Wade Miquelon, grants Jay a visit to Theranos' headquarters, but with a catch—he must bring lab expert Kevin Hunter to inspect their facilities. Prior to this inspection, lab workers are sternly instructed to remain in their labs unless explicitly dismissed. This edict aggravates Ian, already agitated by the myriad of changes within the company since Sunny's ascension to COO.
In a fit of indignation, Ian confronts Sunny over the dismissal of a lab worker, catching a glimpse of the mysterious moniker "Project Beta" on Sunny's desk. Sunny's cryptic demeanor heightens Ian's curiosity when he mentions it.
The arrival of the Walgreens executives sends a shockwave through Elizabeth, realizing that Kevin's intention is to scrutinize their labs. She and Sunny hastily attempt to dissuade him, but their efforts only fuel Kevin's suspicion—already piqued by their lack of FDA approval.
Ian, determined to uncover the truth, embarks on his own investigation. He soon uncovers the sinister truth behind Project Beta—a partnership with Walgreens or another retailer to market Theranos' untested product. Horror-stricken by this revelation, knowing full well that the device is far from ready for human trials, Ian rushes to Professor Channing Robertson. But his distress is soon quelled, learning that the professor is already aware of the scheme. Robertson reassures Ian that the technology is "almost there" and that Elizabeth merely needs to expedite the business process. However, Ian knows the technology's completion is still years away.
Later, Elizabeth receives a call from Robertson regarding Ian. She abruptly leaves a meeting with Walgreens, seeking Ian out in the lab with surprise and indignation. He confronts her, exposing her heartless plan to experiment on unsuspecting humans. She retorts, claiming that he knows nothing of business, but he retaliates, arguing that she knows nothing of science. Enraged, Elizabeth terminates Ian's employment, leaving him stunned and disillusioned.
However, the following day, Theranos' employees rallied around Ian's side. They made it clear that if he were to be dismissed, they would follow suit. As a result, Sunny reached out to Ian with a job offer, teasingly withholding the specifics until he arrived at the office. Elizabeth had made a commitment to Walgreens, promising them a tour of their labs the following morning. However, upon the arrival of the Walgreens executives, they found her engrossed in a meeting with Safeway. In a daring bluff, Elizabeth kept Walgreens waiting for over an hour, ultimately rejecting both Walgreens and Safeway. She then hurriedly prepared to depart, hinting that she was headed to CVS to finalize a deal with them.
CVS, being Walgreens' foremost rival, had been giving them a run for their money. Wade suspected that Elizabeth might be bluffing, but Jay swayed him into making her an offer. Kevin insisted it would be imprudent to do so without first inspecting their labs, yet Jay managed to convince him.
Later that day, Ian returned to the office and was startled to find a new workspace assigned to him at a desk. Feeling disheartened, he glanced up to see Elizabeth and Sunny rejoicing in a nearby meeting room.
A few months later, Elizabeth convened with the business tycoon George Schultz. She revealed that both Walgreens and Safeway had decided to invest millions in Theranos. She emphasized that having George Schultz on their side would be a monumental boon.
