The pirates, led by Captain Blackbeak, Captain Blackheart, and Captain Blackbeard, sat on the beach, their eyes fixed on the cave where Minor, Ann, and Ethan had taken refuge. The tension was palpable as they waited for their prey to emerge.
Minor, who had been watching the pirates from the safety of the cave, decided to take a chance. He stepped out of the cave, his hands held up in a gesture of peace. "Hey, pirates," he called out. "Let's talk about this."
The pirates turned to face him, their faces twisted with greed. "What do you want to talk about?" Captain Blackbeak growled.
Minor took a deep breath. "I want to talk about the gold. I know you're after it, and I'm willing to negotiate."
Captain Blackbeard's eyes lit up with interest. "Go on," he said.
Minor hesitated before continuing. "I'll give you the gold if you leave Ann and Ethan alone. They're not worth the trouble."
Captain Blackheart snorted. "You think we're afraid of those two? Ha! They're nothing but a couple of pesky little kids."
Minor's eyes narrowed. "Listen, pirates. I'm not asking you to be afraid of them. I'm just asking you to leave them be. They're innocent bystanders in this whole thing."
Captain Blackbeak chuckled. "Innocent? Ha! They're just as guilty as you are. You're all in this together."
Minor's face fell. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.
Captain Blackbeard leaned forward. "We know all about your little plan," he said. "We know you're trying to steal our gold."
Minor's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know?"
Captain Blackbeard grinned. "We have our ways."
The pirates began to split up into teams, each one heading towards a different part of the cave. Minor's eyes followed them as they disappeared from view.
"What are you doing?" Minor called out, his voice laced with alarm.
Captain Blackbeak's laughter echoed through the cave. "We're going to kidnap Ann and Ethan," he said.
Minor's heart sank as he realized that his plan had backfired.
Just then, a figure emerged from the cave, holding the glowing device in her hand. It was Ann.
"Hey, pirates!" she called out, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
The pirates froze, their eyes fixed on the device in Ann's hand.
Captain Blackbeard's eyes narrowed. "What is that thing?"
Ann smiled sweetly. "Oh, it's just a little something I found. It seems to be making us harder to catch."
The pirates exchanged nervous glances before turning back to Ann.
"Give it to me," Captain Blackbeard demanded.
Ann shook her head. "Sorry, pirates. I think I'll keep it for myself."
With that, she turned and ran back into the cave, leaving the pirates staring after her in frustration.
"Shall we go after her?" Captain Blackbeak asked.
Captain Blackheart nodded. "Yeah, let's go get her."
And with that, the pirates charged into the cave, determined to capture Ann and use her device to their advantage.
But Ann was already gone, leading them on a wild goose chase through the winding tunnels of the cave system.
Minor watched from the shadows as the pirates disappeared into the darkness, his heart heavy with worry.