The tension in the room had been building ever since Thomas left us locked in again. What started as quiet murmurs of discontent had grown into full-blown arguments, and I found myself caught in the middle of it all.

"This is insane," said Mark, a broad-shouldered man with graying temples who'd been captured three weeks ago. He paced back and forth like a caged animal, his frustration evident in every step. "Why does he get to lock us in here like we're still prisoners?"

"Because that's ...