Giving his hat another quick tug down over his ears, Mercer jams his hands in his pockets and rocks back and forth on his heels, studying Jack thoughtfully for a second.

"I don't know," he says, drawing out the words. (As much as Mercer can draw out any words and still talk at his usual mile-a-minute pace.) "I mean, these guys -- " he hooks a thumb over his shoulder to Doc and Will and shrugs, "they're nowhere near as good as you and they need all the help they can get with this kind of stunt, you know?"

And suddenly, he's mirroring Jack's wicked grin again, and faster than the eye can follow, he darts closer and gives one of the ropes a sharp tug.

It unknots itself like it hadn't even been tied at all.

Sketching out a loose salute, he tells him with a cackle, "Give me a hint later!" --

and in a sudden blur and rush of wind, he's gone.