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done on the fellow members of the gifted generation, but what people in positions of authority had done to get their power and maintain it. Like the misappropriation of wealth, the corruption in the banking system, the lack of humanity shown to the poorer people in the world. It was these injustices that led a lot of the gifted generation to become highly self-aware. They were of the opinion that if a group of people as a collective can't look out for each other, then why should an individual be expected to.
    A few among the gifted generation began to justify breaking the law for their own financial gain. They would rationalise robbing a bank with the comment that ‘the bank has robbed us for long enough.’ Crime levels escalated; criminals always justifying their actions and their own flawed moral standpoint. Even as the number of gifted individuals grew, the governments of the time began to recruit these individuals, firstly to protect their own lands, later to ward off attacks from other governments and inevitably to launch such attacks themselves, all the while smugly justifying their actions and claiming they were ‘to protect the sovereignty’ of their respective nations. It wasn't long until such acts escalated and almost the entire world became embroiled in war.
    As you know, my Dad, your granddad was a soldier, but not by choice. He wasn’t conscripted or anything but rather he felt duty bound.”
    The two boys began to listen more intently as they rarely heard Philip talk about their granddad’s role in the war.
    “Your granddad specialised in sabotage missions. This meant that rather than killing people in the war he in actuality risked his life to save those around him. He would sneak behind enemy lines and sabotage the heavy artillery that would cause so much havoc, often undertaking missions that others would refuse as they were seen as suicidal. Actually on one occasion a squadron was pinned down and surrounded in a large wooded area. It was the depths of winter and they were running out of supplies and on the verge of starvation. Your granddad was under strict orders not to attempt a rescue, but feeling duty bound to the men, he did exactly the opposite. In one night my Dad, your granddad went behind enemy lines and using the cover of night he sabotaged four heavy artillery guns, two tanks and…” choosing his words carefully so that he didn’t scare the boys he continued “…neutralised countless infantry. He did all this virtually unarmed and undetected. Making his way to the troops that were pinned down.” Philip’s face started to show pride as he told the boys the outcome. “In one night he saved forty-eight soldiers. Taking no credit for his actions he swore each one of them to silence, so as not to make his presence known to his superiors. Each man he saved won the medal of valour for their bravery in the face of an insurmountable force and were allowed go home. If not for my Dad they all would have been going home anyway but each would have been draped in a flag and to the tune of a lonely fife player.”
    Philip walked over to the cabinet by the fireplace and reaching his hand into the back of the top shelf he pulled out an old tin tobacco box that was rusty around the side. It rattled in his hand as he took it down as if it was full of coins. Handing it to Tom he opened it and looked inside. “After the war this was sent to your granddad and he kept it. Each offering a testament to his bravery.”
    Tom opened the box and Lee stood over his shoulder and peered into it. The rusty box opened and the boys could see heaped together covered in fine dust, forty eight medals, each a token representing a life saved. They looked up into each other’s eyes at the same moment, each boy speechless as the weight of this reality rested in their hands.
    “Your Granddad often wondered what became of the men after the war, but was content with knowing that because of him they survived it and each of