ESP is NOT responding... Issues with mega and ESP12-F working together?

[pavlovsdog]

So I resolved my prior issues with libraries and etc, I also got ahold of espressif’s flasher tools etc.

I have flashed my ESP12-F with “ESP8266-EDF-AT_V2.2” I now have everything wired up on a small board and connected to the arduino mega accordingly. (see pic below, since this pic I have moved to serial 3)

I can now upload to the mega with the correct libraries, the blynk library works correctly but it returns the error in my serial monitor of:

[9] 
    ___  __          __
   / _ )/ /_ _____  / /__
  / _  / / // / _ \/  '_/
 /____/_/\_, /_//_/_/\_\
        /___/ v1.1.0 on Arduino Mega

 #StandWithUkraine    https://bit.ly/swua


[521] Connecting to Merle
[1531] ESP is not responding

I am stumped at this point, either I am flashing it incorrectly? Or I am wiring something incorrectly, but that im fairly certain im not as I have checked that up and down.

Any pointers would be vastly appreciated!!!