Ten.
The Gale Institute of Psychology was a four story building of glass and brick. From the outside, it appeared as a professional place of healing the human psyche. But past the cordial decor and classical art on the walls, sixty full time doctors performed two hundred experimental therapies per week on one hundred eighty resident patients in basement laboratories.
Across the street in a parking lot, Lex Luthor stood beside the leader of the retrieval team, a big man with a square jaw and professional guise.
"Well, Jacobs?" Lex inquired.
Jacobs lowered his night vision binoculars, turning to Lex. "One guard at the front desk. The rest of the building is clear except for a few rooms. We are assuming it's the janitorial staff."
Lex nodded. "Then let's get this done."
Jacobs began giving orders through the headset mike.
Lex jogged to Jonathan, who was standing by a black van just across the vacant parking lot. "We're going in. Follow only after I signal you."
Jonathan nodded, putting on his headset and tactical vest, watching Lex run back toward the team. He turned back to the van, where Martha sat in the passenger seat.
She reached through the window pulling him as close as possible. She absorbed as much of him as she could, breathing in his cologne, running her hands through his hair. She pulled back wiping tears from her eyes. She smiled through her fear, nodding for him to go. He set a gentle kiss against her lips then turned from her. She watched him walk across the lot and started to pray.
A team of twenty men in black BDUs and tactical vests, carrying P-90s ran across the street and up the stairs of the building in two by two cover formation. Using a pocket laser, the lock was melted and they were quickly and silently through the door.
The headset clicked in Lex's ear, signaling him to follow. Pulling a 9 mil from his belt holster, he headed across the street and into the building. He tapped the mike at his shoulder, signaling Jonathan to come ahead.
The night guard at the front desk was easily disposed of before Jonathan came in.
"Where is he?" Jonathan asked., coming to stand beside Lex.
"Patience, Mr. Kent," Lex whispered from the computer console behind the front desk. He was quickly tapping through pages of the building schematics. Stopping to study one, he turned to Jacobs, standing to his left. Pointing to the screen, "According to Dr Kimball's computer, the lab is here."
Jacobs turned signaling to his men, as the party moved down the west corridor. Taking the fire stairs down, Jonathan and Lex in the middle of the soldiers, the group entered the basement level corridor. Silently motioning, Jacobs directed his men down both directions.
Lex went right, followed by Jonathan, scanning the black name plates on the doors. He came up short at one reading "The Tomb." Jonathan read over Lex's shoulder, feeling his insides turn cold.
Lex looked back at Jonathan, who nodded his readiness. Jacobs motioned to some of his men. One came forward pulling a credit card type key from his vest. The soldier slide it through the swipe lock on the door. Little green and red lights flashed in a random sequence, flashed in tandem then the door locks clicked.
Jacobs gave more signals, sending half his men two by two into the lab.