Patrick Riarque

Varian Morse

**Patrick Riarque** is a grumpy bus driver who made his first appearance in Last Stop - Part 1. Patrick generally seems disinterested in his job and initially speaks very little, only offering annoyed grunts and condescending looks to the passengers who board his bus. Later on in the series, a nicer side of his personality is shown.

## Physical Appearance & Design

Patrick is a tall and heavy-set man with dark hair splotched with patches of grey. He has thick, bushy eyebrows and a small amount of chin stubble. His eyes have dark shadows underneath, perhaps from being overworked. While on the job, he wears the city's standard uniform for bus drivers which includes a jacket (with a badge), slacks, button-up shirt, tie, dress shoes, and a cap.

## Personality

On the surface, Patrick is grumpy, irritable, and disinterested in his job. He's frequently seen being short with his passengers and even flat out ignoring them. When especially uninterested, Patrick will pull out a newspaper or book to read.

Underneath this poor attitude, Patrick is actually just an overworked employee down on his luck. When the situation calls for it, he can be kind and endearing.

## History

### Last Stop - Part 1

Patrick is referenced early on in the episode when Nolan Vice and Jack Barter wait for his bus to arrive. Nolan shows Jack a profile featuring Patrick on the bus's smartphone app. Jack expresses annoyance with how late Patrick is and claims Patrick must have "smoked a few blunts instead of doing his job".

Later when the pair enter the bus, Nolan shows Patrick his phone with excitement, only to accidentally drop it. Patrick looks on in annoyance and appears to reach out to help Nolan.

As Patrick drives the bus to Unity Park, Nolan approaches him again to ask why the bus hasn't made any stops. Patrick gruffly responds that they're on an express bus to which Nolan questions why there was no update about that on his app.

Eventually, the bus arrives and Patrick makes an announcement to the passengers. Before he can open the doors, Jack stops him to which Patrick responds with anger. He threatens to call the transit investigators if Jack doesn't stop, and Jack smugly tells him to go ahead. Patrick radios the investigators and makes another announcement to let the passengers know their arrival will be delayed.

As Jack begins to reveal to the passengers that someone has stolen Nolan's wallet, Patrick again warns him that he's only got about 3 minutes left until the investigators arrive and take him away.

### Last Stop - Part 2

**This section contains spoilers**

The episode begins with Jack openly accusing Patrick of being the thief. Patrick casually responds that Jack only has 2 minutes before the investigators arrive. Jack questions why Patrick won't refute his claim to which Patrick claims it's so stupid that he won't bother. He sarcastically wishes Jack good luck convincing the investigators once they arrive.

When Jack attempts to convince the passengers to take his side, Patrick questions why they would ever help him after he kept them hostage on the bus. When Jack asks how Patrick was able to pick him and Nolan in the middle of a route if this bus was supposed to be an express, Patrick claims he was radioed about an emergency in the park and was told to drive straight there. When Jack questions why this wouldn't have been posted on the bus's app, Patrick angrily curses and claims he doesn't control the app, making him appear suspicious.

Before Jack can continue his questioning, Patrick lets the investigators onto the bus to apprehend Jack. When the passengers tell Patrick to stop and let Jack finish his investigation, Patrick asks them if they're suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.

Nolan manages to find a picture on Patrick's profile showcasing him and his son, Reese Riarque. In the photo, Reese is clearly sick with what Jack assumes his cancer. He comes to the conclusion that Patrick stole Nolan's wallet in order to commit insurance fraud due to the bus system's lack of healthcare benefits for their drivers. Jack offers to let Patrick discreetly admit he has the wallet, to which Patrick declines. Jack then reveals the truth in front of the entire bus, with Patrick begging him to stop on the verge of tears.

Unable to withstand the emotional weight any more, Patrick breaks down and admits he has the wallet. He says that he wasn't thinking clearly and just wanted to do anything he could to take his son's pain away. He returns the wallet, promising he'll find another way. Nolan and the other passengers come forward with words of support, with Nolan even refusing to press charges.

Patrick still says he needs to take responsibility for what he did, to which Nolan replies that his responsibility is to accept help from others which isn't an easy thing to do. Filled with relief that he now has a system of support, Patrick embraces Nolan as the doors to the bus finally open. Out in the park, Patrick and Nolan discuss fatherhood.

### Poison Ivy

Patrick makes a brief appearance at the start of the episode as the bus driver who drops Billie Anguise off at the Sea Sail Hotel. Because the episode chronologically takes place in the past, Patrick is shown to be more upbeat and positive in comparison to his modern self. Because of this, it's implied this was before his son's diagnosis.

## Skills

Patrick is a highly experienced driver and has a long history of driving all manner of different vehicles other than just buses.

## Relationships

### Reese Riarque

Patrick has a very close relationship with his young son, Reese. He makes multiple references to how he'd do anything to help Reese and keep him safe.

### Unnamed Wife

Patrick has an unnamed wife who supports him in caring for their son. It's assumed they have a happy marriage, if not just a little stressful with Patrick's work schedule.

### Nolan Vice

After the events of Last Stop - Part 2, Nolan and Patrick remained in touch and became close friends. They frequently bond over both being fathers and caring for their young children.

## Name Origin

Patrick's named is a play on "patriarch".

## Trivia

* Patrick was originally conceived as much more of a villain before his personality was developed to be more sympathetic
* In Last Stop - Part 1, Patrick uses the phrase "your funeral" bitingly at Jack. In Last Stop - Part 2, Jack purposefully parrots this same phrase back at Patrick in a similarly biting way

## Gallery

Patrick concept artPatrick's profile on Nolan's bus appPatrick reading the paperPatrick with his son, ReesePatrick without his jacket on