''Our world is really going to hell in a handbasket.'' President Dick Cheney moments after learning of the assassination of President Bush
Hello, everyone! Welcome to my first (and hopefully the best) TL. @jonnguy2016 will be helping me with this TL.
This TL will be based on the failed assassination attempt of George W. Bush in 2005, where he narrowly escaped death due to a grenade failing to go off. But what if it did? The timeline starts on May 10th, 2005, the day of the assassination, and the day Vice President Dick Cheney is sworn in as President.
''Our world is really going to hell in a handbasket.''
President Dick Cheney moments after learning of the assassination of President Bush
Chapter One: The Long Ride
The man nervously glanced out the window of the Limousine. His wife, sitting next to him, had been crying. The man stopped looking, and stared coldly at his right hand man. The man continued to look outside the window. His right hand man nodded, and sternly said, ''Get ready, President Cheney. Get Ready. It's going to be along four years.'' Cheney looked back and pitifully said, ''Our world is really going to hell in a hand basket.'' The ride stopped shortly. The secret service agent stepped out the limo and opened the door for President Cheney. The swearing in ceremony was beginning.
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For George W. Bush, the trip to the country of Georgia should have been nothing. His approval rating could need a boost, and what better way to get one by going to Georgia. The foreign visit went well, were diplomatic progress had actually been made. The easiest part of the visit should have been the speech in Tbilisi on May 10th, 2005. The speech, to be held in the central Liberty Square, was attended by many.
However, one thing worried Bush: security. Bush told his aides that the protesters who had followed him ever since had gotten more violent. They assured him they had it covered.
As Bush got closer to Liberty Square, his fears subsided. He and the President of Georgia happily greeted, before Bush began to speak. Bush looked out in the crowd, becoming happier and happier to see the excited crowd. The President's nervousness went away. 5 Minutes in, he heard a popping noise. He looked down on the stage. A green little circle landed on the stage. At first, he dismissed it as some weirdo throwing something at him. The Secret Service would find him. He looked closer, when the realization in his head went of: it wasn't just any object, but it was a Grenade. Georgia's President also recognized it. Both men tried running away, but it was too late. The grenade went off.
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Tuesday, May 10th, should have been any other day for Vice President Dick Cheney. Cheney had some meeting here and there. The big event would be dinner with his wife and the country's Second Lady, Liz Cheney. He awaited the return of President Bush, as he always did when the 43rd President had a trip.
At 5:27 P.M., Eastern Time (2:27 Tbilisi Time), Cheney was doing nothing in his office. He had a splitting headache. He laid back in his chair, hoping it would go away before the big dinner with his wife. He suddenly heard banging in his office. He assumed one thing: The Iraq protesters breached his office. The door to his office burst open. Secret Service agents with guns filled the room. ''We need to get you downstairs. Now.'' The agent in charge of Cheney's detail rushed him downstairs to the Limo. Surprisingly, Liz Cheney was in the limousine. So was Cheney's Chief of Staff Scooter Libby. Liz Cheney was crying uncontrollably, while Libby stared out the window.
Libby looked at Cheney as the Limo began driving away and began to tell Cheney about what happened in Georgia. ''W's been killed. We're getting you to the Oval and getting you sworn in ASAP.''
Vice President Dick Cheney was now President Dick Cheney.