Some would say that to tell the truth you must use fiction... ----------- Episode 18, CBS television show "Person of Interest" FINCH is a physically damaged billionaire programmer who developed machine intelligence for the government REESE is his sidekick muscle. ----------- REESE No photos? FINCH Not everyone in New York has a driver's license, REESE. First three digits of the social suggest that Jordan Hester was born in Georgia. REESE I'm supposed to recognize him by his accent? FINCH Or her. I can't even verify the gender. Hester's living off the grid. No photos online and nothing on the social networking sites. REESE I've never understood why people put all their information on those sites. Used to make our job a lot easier in the C.I.A. (takes another sip from his cup) FINCH Of course, that's why I created them. REESE You're telling me you invented online social networking, FINCH? REESE stands up. FINCH goes to his computer, setting down his doughnut. FINCH The Machine needed more information. People's social graph, their associations. (opens up search on social networking website for "Jordan Hester") The government had been trying to figure it out for years. Turns out most people were happy to volunteer it. The business wound up being quite profitable, too. Unfortunately, Jordan Hester seems to be more cautious than most, but I was able to run a credit check. REESE looks at papers on glass board. FINCH picks up his doughnut again.