The Power Within (Paperback)

This science fiction novel portrays the tumultuous adventures of Cole Tutor, his two teenage daughters, and an over-protective U.S. Marshal ally. Cole is an Army Special Forces veteran struggling to find work, support his family, and adapt to a world of faltering economies, political ineptness and massive government corruption. Just when he thought things were starting to look up, his life is drastically changed when he unwittingly becomes enthralled in a government health program scam centered on greed and black-market organ sales. This leads to a bizarre chain of events where he loses his one true love, his two daughters who witnessed the brutal murder of their mother are on the run and he is prematurely pronounced dead at the hospital after a valiant but failed attempt to wreak revenge on the home invaders who stole his whole world from him.

But his death was thwarted by a miniaturized alien race (Tethians) secretly utilizing Cole's body as their host since he was seven years old. To enact this amazing miracle, the peaceful Tethians initiate desperate measures to include actually melding their DNA with Cole’s. The fantastical event and ultimate, superpower-enabled transformation that follows causes pandemonium at the hospital attracting a very powerful, secretive agency called Mantle whose specialty is dealing with and suppressing knowledge of extraordinary occurrences in the United States. It also caused extreme aggravation on the part of two upper echelon Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) leaders whose illegal organ harvesting plot was now being endangered by this obstinate veteran who refused to just die.

Meanwhile, Cole’s stalwart daughters (Shelly and Tami) under the protection of a very tough, savvy U.S. Marshal (Tara Polaski) are whisked away and begin a harrowing journey across multiple states. Conflicted by feelings of loss and revenge, and dogged by an elite assassin (Code name Viper), corrupt politicians and Tara’s blackmailed partner, the two young ladies manage to barely stay a half a step ahead of their tormentors while compiling solid evidence on their mother’s murderers. At the same time, one of the home invaders (Derrick Thurtleopolis) experiences a psychotic break and goes on a killing spree along the East coast and into Southern Texas, somehow avoiding a crack FBI team and various local authorities at every turn. Unfortunately for Derrick, a certain demon (Tiberius Ravenhart) has other plans for his black soul and lures the unsuspecting thug to a hellish, satanic summoning ritual where one of the Tutors’ most challenging enemies is born, and ushers in the possible end of days on a biblical level for mother Earth.

Throughout the story, Cole battles his emotions while trying to understand his transformation, the new powers he has been blessed with, the missions set before him, and the extra-terrestrial knowledge endowed by his “very close” alien friends. He must first escape the grasp of Mantle and then find and protect his girls. The perps who stole his one true love need to pay--and pay dearly, and what should he--can he do about a looming Plog (warrior race that destroyed the Tethian home land) invasion and how will he overcome his losses, retain his core values and find balance once again in his extremely chaotic new life?

So to sum it up, this first book is a fast-paced, action-packed, good versus evil adventure filled with immoral black-op agencies, political intrigue, extra-terrestrial beings, a dusting of the supernatural kind, extraordinary female bravery & heroism, and a man’s desperate search for what matters most to him...family, justice, values and protecting the country he loves. Not to mention a healthy dose of tears and laughter that will keep the reader turning the pages and desperately awaiting the next addition in the Cole Tutor Chronicles six-book series.

Please visit my website: http://coletutorchronicles.com

R. A. Benton retired from the US Air Force after twenty-seven years of service. In his last year-long deployment to Iraq he earned a Bronze Star.

At fifty years of age, Benton lives with his wife, two daughters, two female dogs, and three female cats, all of whom constantly remind him how little he knows about women. He loves them all dearly and believes family, human or animal, is the most important thing in the world.

The Power Within is Benton's first novel. While writing, he drew on his military and martial arts training, as well as his vivid imagination.