He sat and watched her for some time, listening to the creaks and groans of the cheap house as the unbearably hot midday became simply a hot afternoon. Chase was afraid to turn the simdeck off or to unplug her, not knowing enough about how BTLs really worked. He'd known other users, and had even tried the legal, signal-dampened simchips commercially available, but he knew nothing of the effects of a true Better Than Life. Instead, he sat and watched her for any signs of physical danger.