Chapter 30

The air hung thick with anticipation as Tara, Professor Ghosh, and a select group of students stood at the foot of the Tollygunge hills. The abandoned observatory loomed before them, its silhouette stark against the twilight sky. Armed with Dhritiman's journal, the deciphered code, and a healthy dose of trepidation, they were about to embark on a mission to expose the Order of the Silent Hand.

Professor Ghosh, his weathered face etched with concern, adjusted his backpack containing various historical texts and deciphering tools. "Are you sure about this, Tara?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Tara, her gaze fixed on the imposing structure, took a deep breath. "We have to try," she declared, her voice resolute. "Dhritiman wouldn't have stopped until he exposed the truth. Neither will we."

With a shared nod of determination, they began their ascent. The path leading to the observatory was overgrown and treacherous, a testament to the place's long-forgotten status. As they navigated the dense foliage, a sense of unease settled upon them. The silence, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the occasional chirping of nocturnal insects, felt heavy with anticipation.

Reaching the observatory, they found the massive wooden doors bolted shut. Rohan, the code-breaking prodigy, stepped forward, utilizing a set of lockpicks fashioned from scavenged materials. With a series of clicks and tumbles, the lock yielded, and the doors creaked open, revealing a dark and dusty interior.

Flashlights illuminated a vast circular room, its domed ceiling adorned with faded astronomical charts and constellations. Telescopes pointed towards empty skies, gathering dust and cobwebs. An unsettling aura permeated the air, a sense of something hidden, something waiting to be unearthed.

As they ventured deeper into the observatory, Tara noticed a series of glass display cases lining the walls. Each case contained a historical artifact – a weathered scroll, a tarnished amulet, a chipped clay tablet – all seemingly random and disconnected. Then it hit her – a theft!

Several of the display cases were empty, their glass shattered as if shattered by a blunt object. The missing artifacts matched the descriptions in Dhritiman's journal – items he had meticulously collected as potential evidence against the Order.

A cold dread washed over Tara. The Order, aware of their investigation, had raided the Center, stealing the very evidence they needed to expose them. The melody of their fight had reached a discordant note – a brazen act of theft that threatened to silence them once again.

"They know we're here," Professor Ghosh whispered, his voice laced with a hint of fear. "This changes everything."

Tara's mind raced. Stealing the evidence was a desperate move by the Order, a sign of their vulnerability. But it also meant they were far more organized, far more dangerous than they had anticipated.

The question hung heavy in the air – should they continue their mission, knowing the Order was aware of their presence, or retreat and regroup? The stolen artifacts were a setback, but the fight for justice, the very future of Tollygunge, was at stake.