Helix Protocol: A Midnight Burn Prequel (Short Tech Thriller)

by TJ Swift

In a world where surveillance is seamless and lies wear lab coats, the only truth left is the one you steal.

Jace Mercer doesn’t trust anything with a corporate logo.
Not systems. Not data. Definitely not people.

He’s a ghost—an ex-infiltrator turned elite data operative, carving truth out of a world engineered to bury it. With Sage, his AI assistant built for breach and vanish, Jace takes jobs that keep him off the grid—and ahead of the fallout.

When a whistleblower reaches out with proof of a biotech cover-up, the job looks simple. It isn’t.
Beneath the gleaming towers of a pharmaceutical giant, a miracle drug is racing toward approval. The data says it will save lives. The buried files say otherwise. And once Jace cracks the system, there’s no clean way out.

Forty-seven hours before Midnight Burn, one breach started it all.
And even when you win, it still feels like a loss.

Helix Protocol is a cyber-noir prequel—tight, atmospheric, and lethal in its restraint.

Perfect for fans

Cyber-noir thrillersTactical espionageCorporate conspiracyNoir science fictionNear-future cyberpunk

62 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 9, 2025

Reviews

[Sara Lauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this book absolutely gripped me from the opening “ghost signal” to the last heartbeat.

I love a smart sci-fi thriller that doesn’t just rely on explosions or jargon, and T.J. Swift nails that balance perfectly. The tech feels plausible and grounded. Encrypted neural networks, gene-edited security operatives, digital ghosts that evolve like viruses, but what really hooked me were the human stakes.
The pacing is sharp. Every chapter ends on a note that dares you not to turn the page, but it also gives space for reflection. There’s a subtle emotional thread about identity and autonomy. Swift writes with cinematic energy but literary precision; I could practically hear the hum of servers and the buzz of drones over dark city skylines.

Overall, Helix Protocol delivers high-octane cyber-thriller energy with genuine heart. It’s perfect for fans of Neal Stephenson, Black Mirror, or The Expanse who want action with a dose of philosophy. I’ll definitely be recommending it when it releases and I already can’t wait to see where Swift takes this universe next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[BookishDramas · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for me.
I read this book as a free review copy and this is my honest feedback based on my completing the book.

This is a pocket sized thriller and less than an hours reading. A techno-action thriller that just does not stop.
At its heart it harbours secret experiments, wrongful exploitation of terminal humans for experimentation and in plain parlance it shows when commercials render human life invalid and features big money with people who don't give a ....
The story is breakneck and once you start you cannot stop. I like Swift's style of writing and would like to read more of his books.

[CONNIEBENNETT26 · Rating 4 out of 5]

TJ Swift has written an epic Prequel Story , that only he can write.
Helix Protocol was , short , sweet and intriguing.!

I received an advanced copy, and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jace Mercer is the perfect antihero for a broken digital age haunted, brilliant, and just dangerous enough.