Nicholas Challenger learned a very long time ago that it was always best to have people underestimate him. He was the kind of man whom thrived on adversity because his life had been full of hardships and misfortunes; if he put down in writing all of the significant moments in his life, bad and good, he was quite certain the good moments come in a smaller number. He cherished those moments; they were balm for a scarred soul and a tormented mind yet without the tragedies he's faced, he would have never become the man he is today.

He believed the Elric brothers are similar to him in that sense. They thrived on adversity too, and rather than allowing their demons swallow them whole, they sweated and bled and fought against forces others would not dare to take on even in their dreams. Their lives will complicate once again once they read the journal. To the extent to which it will occur depends on them and what they will do with the new information they are about to receive.
His greatest regret in this ordeal, was perhaps that he could not withhold his promise to Hohenheim.

'Should my sons succeed in regaining their bodies and come out of it alive and well, let them be. They deserve their peace. Trish would have wanted that.'

I am sorry, old friend. He thought silently, staring at the incensed blonde in front of him. He looked very much like his father, but unlike Hohenheim whom grew calmer as the centuries have passed, Edward remained a spitfire. Perhaps it was the immortality that tamed Hohenheim's fiery spirit or perhaps it was the knowledge that he'll ultimately outlive the love his life. Challenger knows very well what it feels like to watch those whom he loved most lose their lives before his eyes but that had been his choice. He chose to stay and watch life take its course and it had been almost too much to bear. He has never held in contempt Hohenheim for walking away. He was not a coward, just a man with an impossible ultimatum.
"Read it.'' He said simply. Amber eyes - it's been so long since he's seen eyes so gold - blinked a few times, the young man most likely confused by his constant mood shifts. Even with brilliant individuals, he never failed to result confusing because of his erratic behavior. The thought made him smile slightly again.
"You want answers. I am willing to give you answers. It's why you're here, this evening.'' He said, as calm as a millpond and he raised to his feet. He brushed invisible dust off of his trousers and vest, and then took out his gold watch to check the time.
"Dear Lord, look at the time!'' He exclaimed, and once again with far too much energy for a man his age, he headed towards the exit. Propping his cane against the wall, he took the frock coat off the wooden hook and put it on, before reaching for his hat. Or at least he would have, if it had been there. "Say, son, while you were going through my office, did you happen to see my hat?'' He called to Ed who just continued to watch him in disbelief.

"Think, think. If you were a hat, where would you be?'' the man wondered out aloud.

The hat is not the only thing he's fucking lost He should have just walked away, Ed thinks, given how dubious the mental state of the elder man was. However, the man had clearly anticipated his moves, which meant he knew about Ed more than he would have liked to. He stayed still; the man seemed unlikely to attack him psychically but the entire situation put Ed on edge.

The man snapped his fingers suddenly and his face lit up. "My nephew has it. Now I remember.'' Ed's eyes widened. That's right, Titoh was his nephew. Which meant he knew what a nutcase his grandfather was and he probably even knew of the journal. The feeling of dread in his stomach intensified as his mind supplied a theory which turned his blood to ice: Al's friendship with Titoh, was that part of the plan as well? It had felt like a trap being there because he dreaded the idea of having to be restrained to a room full of snobs forcing him in small talks but right then, that was the least of his preoccupations.

The old man had wanted him to be curious. Maybe he even realized that he was not quite as easygoing as Alphonse, so that's why Titoh became such close friends with Alphonse. He had to have known that Alphonse tells Ed everything it's not a secret they're very close and that in time, no matter how skeptical he was of Challenger's good intentions towards the scientific community, he would feel curious enough to meet the man in question.
But to what end? So Ed could find a journal? If Challenger wanted him dead, he would already be dead.
Or maybe the man was just senile and this was his way of passing time. Yet his eyes conveyed an intelligence far above average.

"I hope you'll stay for dinner. I heard the duck is exquisite!'' The man remarked cheerfully, as he turned and opened the door. "Let me know what you think of the book!'' He winked, he fucking winked , at Ed and then swiftly exited, slamming the door behind him and leaving Ed alone in the empty office.
Al's not going to be happy about this

_O_

Titoh had never planned on becoming friends with Alphonse Elric. Contrary to what the brothers will soon think of him, he was not there with the purpose to spy or deceive anybody. He hadn't even wanted to be there in the first place but he had been the wisest choice. Fay had been reluctant to ask him, but they both knew he was the only one who would be capable of keeping a low profile.
When he first arrived in Amestris and heard Challenge's intentions in full detail, he agreed with the man's plan. If the Order had averted their attention on the two sole descendants of Xerxes, their lives could be in danger. Even more so, if the Order was involved, whatever they were after meant that if they got a hold of it, something disastrous would happen. Most likely on a very large scale.

It wasn't just the Order they had to worry about. There were enough individuals outside of the criminal organization, wealthy individuals in high places that would pay fortunes to have the Elric brothers executed if they thought they might represent a threat.
Titoh wasn't sure how they will handle the situation if things go south (which he can't help but feel they will). Alphonse might choose to listen to them, and he might even end up persuading his brother into doing the same. It's not the Elric brothers he is most worried about. Even if he and the Professor manage to convince them that they are on the same side, there are enormous implications to people finding out that certain myths and long lost legends are in fact, true.
He played with the tribal bracelet around his right wrist, a tic he's had ever since he was a child whenever he felt anxious. Challenger has barely made himself known at the party, going around to check on the dinner preparations and first guests that started to filter through at the beginning of the night. He was right though: Ed showed up along with his brother.

Earlier than expected too.

Challenger disappeared a few moments after their arrival but Titoh wasn't worried. He wasn't sure if it was possible to take Challenger by surprise.
Edward didn't trust him. That was perfectly alright.
He sometimes wished Alphonse didn't trust him, because it made the guilt churn his insides uncomfortable. Right after Challenger purchased and renovated the manor, to turn it into an institution he started working at the Department of Medicine, It hadn't been hard to get a job although everyone had met his request for employment with skepticism.

Barely twenty-three (or at least that's what his fake documents said) and he boldly applied to be physicians. The board of directors of the hospital, which work closely with the medicine department at the university, held his interview and invited him, most likely out of curiosity and disbelief. It had been hard for Titoh to justify his extensive experience although he was certain that if he had been able to, his medical expertise would have rivalled even the most seasoned of applicants.
So, as convincing as possible he fed them the cover story that he and Challenger have constructed very carefully. He was born on the islands of Veritas, a tropical paradise located about a hundred miles out on the sea from Pesea, the coastal country stretching along the borders of Xing. He had shown potential ever since he was a child and he had the opportunity to gain experience very quickly given that country's citizens predilection towards being injured by the beautiful yet very dangerous flora and fauna. Doctors have always come short in number so he had been mentored from a young age in the art of medicine.

He traveled often too, as a child, and he's had the opportunity to expand his expertise – he's seen horrifying injuries and rotting corpses since he was fourteen. There's very little about the human body that scares him anymore, no matter how damaged it may get.
There was truth infused in his lies, naturally, as most convincing lies are built around truths.
He has witnessed horrors that many doctors will never probably witness in all of their career. He has healed wounds which would have been deemed impossible to heal and he has studied illnesses that people in Amestris are not even aware about. He's had alchemy to help him, but even in a world such as his where alchemic healers were common, he knew he was capable enough to stand out. In Amestris, he would stand out even more. It was not out of arrogance that he thought like that for his affinity towards healing people stemmed from his mental capabilities as much as much as it was a product of his experiences as a child.

He could not demonstrate his prowess in the use of alchemy or it would raise suspicions. A genius, they could grow used to it. A genius using an archaic, unknown form of alchemy is bound to catch the authorities' eye and cause panic.
While he has managed to charm the board of directors, they remained skeptical and decided to test his capabilities. They gave him a week under the watchful eye of a veteran physician at the hospital, to prove he is capable of what he says is.

They expected him to fail, despite admiring his his confidence and courage in 'aiming so high for his age'.
After three days, he became the newest attending physician and the youngest one to date in the history of Amestris.

Fay will never allow him to hear the end of it.

_O_

'"You broke into his office?!" Al looked every little like an angry mother, with his hands on his hips and a reproachful dark look directed at the older boy whom rolled his eyes. They left the dinner rather abruptly after Ed grabbed Al and told him they had leave immediately, but not before throwing a dirty look to the white-haired man standing beside Al. Ed refused to give him any explanations until they were back at the apartment.

"Al, just listen to me, okay? That old fart's not in his right mind. Look!'' He took out the journal from the pocket of his coat and chucked at Al's face.

"What's this?'' The younger of the brothers swiftly opened the soft leather covers and his eyes widened at the sight of the message written in pencil on the first page. "Wait. He was expecting you to break into his office?''
"Yep. I think that's why the fucker invited me to the fundraiser in the first place.''
His brother was already flipping through the pages, hazel eyes absorbing the information on them with incredible speed.
"Brother, this is—this is about Xerxes!''
"I know. The old fart left it there for me to find it and then told me to read it. Al, something's not right about all of this and I think that shady snowflake guy is on it too.''

"Titoh?'' Alphonse looked up, surprised. His first instinct was to defend Titoh but he was also smart enough to put together where Ed's suspicions stem from. His brother had no proof that this book was nothing more than an eccentric offering but they've also been through enough to be wary when strange things such as this take place. Plus, they've researched Xerxes in-depth following the Promised Day and they were barely able to find anything more than pieces of historical facts, some tattered maps of the old country and brief mentions of the trade deals between Xerxes and other countries. They had no way to verify if any of the information they've found was even true and even if it was, very small parts of it talked about alchemy.
They know only slightly more about Xerxes now than they did before.
Yet in his hands there was a journal of at least four hundred pages that seemed to be filled to the brim with information on Xerxes. It was all hand-written by Challenger it seems, as he had signed his name in small print on the left-hand corner of the first page.
"Well, let's read it then.''