'Is the card a ten?'
'No.'
And on it goes. Fuller acts normally, and doesn't try to control his body's responses in the least. When the examiner finally says, 'The card is a Queen of Diamonds,' Fuller laughs, genuinely.
'That's terrific! Better than a magic show.'
'As you can see, Barry, the machine can pick out lies rather easily. If you lie, we'll catch it.'
'That's why I'm here. To show I'm telling the truth.'
'We'll proceed, then. Please answer yes or no to the following questions. Is your name Barry Fuller?'
'Yes.'
'Is the world flat?'
'No.'
'Have you ever stolen something?'
Fuller knows this is a control question, one that sets the bar. The polygraph records the body's responses to the questions. The examiner understands that being accused about a crime will cause the breathing to increase, the palms to sweat, and the blood pressure to rise. The yes and no answers are irrelevant. The examiner is looking for the four markers on the scrolling piece of paper to jump when the subject is stressed.
So Fuller makes them jump. He curls his big toe, jabbing the staple deeper into the nail. His pain level spikes, his vital signs react, and the markers do their fast squiggle thing.
'No,' he answers.
'Is the White House in Washington, D.C.?'
Fuller eases up on the toe pressure.
'Yes.'
'Do you remember killing Eileen Hutton?'
'No.'
Fuller realizes that his lie causes some spikes, but the spikes won't be as high as the spikes created by the stealing question, when he caused himself pain. The examiner will have to conclude he's telling the truth.
Easy as pie. The trick to beating a polygraph isn't staying calm. It's knowing when to act stressed.
'Have you ever lied on a job application?'
Control question. Toe pressure.
'No.'
'Is a basketball square?'
Ease up.
'No.'
'Did you remember cutting off Davi McCormick's arms?'
No toenail pressure.
'No.'
'Have you ever cheated on your income tax?'
Force that staple in.
'No.'
'Do you consider yourself an honest man?'
Another control. The staple feels like an electric wire, juicing him with pain.
'Yes.'
'Did you kill Colin Andrews?'
Release the pressure.
'I don't remember. I've been told I did.'
And so it goes on, for another half an hour. He takes his time. Makes it look good. Lets his body tell the tale.
'Are you faking this amnesia?'
Fuller smiles at Jack. He winks at her.
'No, I'm not.'
'Thank you, Barry. We're finished here today.'
Garcia walks over. 'What were the results?'
'I'll need time to examine them thoroughly before I can give you my opinion.'
