Batarang rebound

The neon-drenched skyline of Gotham pulsed with a frantic energy as Barbara Gordon, known to the underworld as Batgirl, leaped across the rain-slicked gargoyles of the Diamond District. Below her, a frantic silhouette scrambled through the labyrinthine alleys, clutching a prototype cryo-generator stolen from Wayne Tech. Barbara felt the familiar rush of adrenaline; she had the tactical advantage, the element of surprise, and the momentum. With a fluid, practiced motion, she flew to the ground and reached for her utility belt and snapped a reinforced batarang into the air. The serrated blade whistled through the humid night, a black blur aimed perfectly to disarm the fleeing thief and end the pursuit before it reached the crowded docks. But the shadows held a treacherous secret. Just as the projectile closed the distance, the villain spun around, wielding a heavy, industrial-grade metal briefcase as a makeshift shield. The batarang struck the reinforced corner with a deafening clang, the kinetic energy rebounding with violent, unpredictable force. Before Barbara could even register the failed strike, the weapon whipped back toward her like a lethal boomerang. It caught her squarely across the temple with a sickening thud.