Turned out they didn't need too. One moment, Angus is standing frowning over a calculation on his chalkboard. (there's a misplaced three somewhere). And then the next moment, he stood opposite a shirtless cleric.

"Merle-!" Angus jumped in surprise, tripping over his feet and falling over on his arse.

A shirtless Merle sat cross-legged on the work top in a replica of Magnus's wood shop at Hammer & Tails no less. The Railsplitter axe is even hanging on the wall.

"What the-!?"

"Detective!" Merle said with welcoming arms thrown wide, a gesture that was very un-pre-Story reveal Merle-like. And then asked rather seriously, "Hey you're safe right?"

"As far as I know. Unless you have other plans." Angus spluttered. Then scowled, getting to his feet.
"I'm not going back in the Santa sack or anywhere cold!"

"That was one time!" Merle complained. "You try and make one guy's candle nights-! Anyway. So… you're not in any trouble? Or danger? Not been kidnapped or anything?"

"Urm no? yeah? I mean yeah, I'm okay. Physically. And no not kidnapped. No danger." Angus replied, confused.

"Good. And er no girlfriend or boyfriend in there with you? Or socks?"

"What? No! Sir. That's gross-!"

"Just checking. That's okay too, but maybe get one. Not the socks I mean. See ya!" Merle nodded. But then he looked around him. "Wait. Fantasy kombucha! Is this our Parley space?!"

Merle frowned and waved his none-prosthetic arm. The room shifted and warped around them. The work bench became instead a picnic table on a dark moon-base quad. Complete with stars up above.

"Oh god, please don't do that!" Angus said, sitting down opposite him, feeling nauseous and even more discombobulated.

"Oh. Okay. Want me to put it back?" Merle asked, now sat at the bench. "I just wasn't comfortable with the big axe and chippers Maggie has there. You know, wood arm and all."

"No I mean-!" Angus sighed. He dropped his head into his hands and started again.
"Can you let me know before you change the scenery? Or before you pull me into a parley, sir? Like you said I could have had someone in my room. Or been handling a blow torch in the lab. And don't make jokes about privacy!" he snapped, cutting Merle off from what was about to be another crude sock joke or toilet humour.

"Fine yeah yeah, I will next time." the dwarf said. "But hey, you send the message to Mookie, right? Five minutes before you guys are meant to show that you weren't coming. Which isn't like you at all. He said you sound weird and upset. So, my first, (well sixth) thought was you'd been kidnapped.
But when I put it to the others, then twins Bluejeans and Kravitz rift in and showed up bummed out? You gave Barry and the moon lot both the same message. So 'course I was gonna check on your ass… okay I got told to come check on your ass. But I was doing it anyway? Didn't need to be a detective to figure something was up." Merle grumbled. "You lot make me check up on Lucretia and Dav enough!"

"Will you just-?" Angus started. But Merle cut him off.

"I'll be right out of your fancy smancy hair, I promise. Just tell me you're okay and not about to do anything stupid. And I'll go."

Angus took a deep breath in and let it out slowly.

"I'm fine Merle." he said.

Merle looks at him. Really looks at him this time.

"Oh shit." He says. "Is it THAT bad?"